Kagome's True Heritage
by Mikairi
Summary: HPIY:There is a world Kagome never knew existed, until she got a letter. Now she's going to a magic school far away. But down one of the many dark hallways, something lurks. And it's only a matter of time before it strikes.
1. Letter of Acceptance

A Harry Potter and InuYasha cross-over fanfic...because there aren't enough out there ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and InuYasha do NOT belong to me. I'm not making any profit from this fanfiction...sadly... :-P   
  
Chapter One*~ "Letter of Acceptance"   
  
It was a nice, clear day in Feudal Japan. Tufts of cloud lazily floated across the sky, birds chirped merrily in the trees, and a soft breeze rippled through the grass. In a clearing in Inuyasha Forest sat an old, dried up well. It was an artifact of true mystery to the villagers of Edo. For if you were to throw anything down it-mainly demon bones-they would vanish. The Bone Eaters Well is what it was called, for this very reason. But it also had one other secret, and only a few people knew of it. It could send two select people through time. These two people were Inuyasha, a half demon and Kagome Higurashi, a regular modern day school girl. For nearly a year these two, along with friends, had been hiking all over ancient Japan in search of the Scared Jewel shards that had been shattered and scattered. They traveled with Miroku the monk, Sango the demon exterminator, Kirara, Sango's pet cat demon, and Shippou the young fox demon. On this fine day, these four friends were back at the village taking a short, well deserved break from their adventures.   
  
Kagome walked slowly through the woods, lugging her extremely heavy pack with her. She was headed for the Bone Eaters Well, to go home and stock up on supplies.   
  
'Inuyasha said to hurry back, I wonder how mad he'll be if I'm a little late, hmm...oh well, why should I rush around for him!' she thought indignantly. 'Inuyasha will just have to wait until I catch up on some of my school work'. True it had been a long time since she had been to school and no doubt there would be a large pile of missed homework and assignments she would have to make up. 'It's such a nice day too, maybe Sango and the others will get a chance to rest up instead of rush around like usual.' She thought trying to look on the brighter side of why they had come back to the village she reached the well and heaved her pack over the edge where it fell and disappeared through time. She then slide both her legs over the wall of the well and also fell through time.   
  
"Inuyasha can you PLEASE stop fidgeting like that, it's getting very annoying." Sango said exasperated.   
  
"Sango is right Inuyasha, don't worry Kagome will be back soon." Miroku added.   
  
"Shuttup! I'm not fidgeting, Kagome can stay in her stupid time for all I care!" Inuyasha growled.   
  
"Ye should all take this time to rest. Ye may be half demon, Inuyasha, but the others are not and therefore tire more easy." Kaede spoke sagely from the corner of the hut, where she was sorting her herbs.   
  
"Feh! Whatever." Inuyasha spat. He scowled, stood up, and stormed out of the hut, knocking off the door hanging on his way out.   
  
"I hope Kagome comes back soon, Inuyasha is always in such a bad mood when she leaves." Shippou complained.   
  
Inuyasha was standing next to the well, glaring at it, like it was planning to attack him.   
  
'Stupid Kagome, what's so important about that damn school thing anyways!' He thought angrily. "You better get back here soon, we have shards to find!" he bellowed down the well. "Hmmph!" Inuyasha plopped himself on the grass and leaned back against the well. He stared up into the blue sky and felt the wind brush through his hair. His ears drooped and the angry scowl on his face softened, 'Kagome, please come back soon...'   
  
Kagome landed gently on her feet. She picked up her bag and climbed up the rope ladder out of the well.   
  
"Ahh...It's nice to be home again." Kagome sighed happily. She dashed up the stairs, quickly opened the door out of the well house, and stepped outside. As much as she enjoyed the rural country side of the Sengoku Jidai, she sometimes found herself homesick for modern Tokyo. She ran across the yard, up the stairs to her house. "Everyone, I'm home!" Kagome called as she walked through the front door. She removed her shoes and dropped her bag in the front entry before continuing into the kitchen.   
  
"Kagome, dear, come and have something to eat." Mrs. Higurashi called from the kitchen. Sota and her grandfather were seated at the table eating dinner when she walked in.   
  
"Hey, sis, how's it going?" Sota asked, "Is Inuyasha with you?"   
  
"Of course not, he's back in his time, why would he be here?" Kagome snapped.   
  
"Now, now Kagome there's no need to be rude to your brother, we've only seen you for two minutes, don't start arguing." Her grandfather scolded.   
  
"Sorry, Sota. No, Inuyasha is back in the Feudal Era resting with the others." Kagome explained to him. "I've really just come back to get some supplies, and I think I'll try to get some studying done."   
  
"Here, Kagome, eat up!" Mrs. Higurashi urged as she set a bowl of uden in front of her daughter. Uden was Kagome's favorite food, Mrs. Higurashi had had a feeling that Kagome would be coming home today and decided to made it for her when she came home. How she knew Kagome would be coming home, was a good question-only Mrs. Higurashi knew the answer herself, at least for now..."Oh and there's some tempura left too if you'd like some."   
  
"Thanks Mom, mmm uden!" Kagome replied happily before digging into her food.   
  
"Wow, when was the last time you ate?" Sota asked staring at his sister, who was eating almost as fast and ferociously as Inuyasha...almost.   
  
Kagome placed her bowl down and leaned back into her chair. 'It's nice to have something different to eat for a change, instead of ramen for days on end.' Kagome thought dully.   
  
"Oh, Kagome, I almost forgot, this came in the mail for you while you were gone-two days ago, I think." Mrs. Higurashi explained as she held out a fat envelope. Kagome looked at it curiously, she never got mail. She took the letter and was just about to turn it over when the phone rang.   
  
"I'll get it." Her grandfather got up from the table and walked to the front entry. "Hello?... No, I'm sorry, she has mono again...yes I will be sure to-   
  
"GRAMPS!" Kagome jumped out of her seat, knocking over her chair in the process, rushed to the front entry and grabbed the phone from him. "I'm right here! You don't have to make up excuses when I'm back home!"   
  
"Hmmph! Well I'm sorry. I was just trying to be helpful!" he exclaimed indignantly before marching back into the kitchen.   
  
"Hello? Hi Yuka!"Kagome exclaimed brightly, 'I haven't talked to my friends in so long!'   
  
"Hey Kagome, how are you feeling? I heard you caught the SARS virus and you had been in the hospital, I'm glad you've recovered!" Yuka said brightly.   
  
"Oh, yeah, it was...err...a pretty mild case of it, I guess," Kagome stammered. 'Gramps, you told them I had SARS?!!' She could feel her left eye twitching.   
  
"Well, I called to see how you were doing and to tell you...well...I don't know if your going to want to hear this..."   
  
"Go ahead, what's wrong Yuka?" Kagome had an uneasy feeling, Yuka sounded a bit nervous...   
  
"Well...okay don't be mad but..." Hojo'sgoingoutwiththatseventhgradegirlI'msoosorrypleasedon'tbemadWetoldhernottoobutshedidntlistentousandIthoughtHojolikedyousopleaseKagomedon'tbeupset!!!"   
  
Kagome, knowing Yuka for a long time now, might have been the only person able to understand what she had just said.   
  
"Really? Wow, I'm really glad that he finally got over me. I always thought that they would make a cute couple." Kagome said cheerfully. 'Good, maybe now Hojo won't keep asking me out on dates. Hojo is just a friend, and I'm glad that I didn't have to tell him I never really liked him as a boyfriend.' Kagome thought.   
  
"Kagome, your taking this much better than I thought you would." Yuka said sounding very surprised at Kagome's response.   
  
"Yeah...well I got to go, I'll see you soon, bye!" Kagome hung up the phone. She turned and picked up her bag. 'I should try to hurry back so Inuyasha doesn't come looking for me.' She thought, 'he can be such a pain sometimes!' She made her way upstairs and opened the door to her room.   
  
'Alright then, let's see what do I need... hmm... clothes, bandages, my school books...' She began to hum as she packed. 'I should bring some ramen back for Inuyasha, too.' Kagome reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face when she realized she was still holding her letter in her hand. 'I completely forgot about this, I should read it before I leave, no telling how long I'll be in the Sengoku Jidai for.' Kagome sat down on her bed, turned the letter over, and read the address, she gasped. The address read:   
  
Ms. K. Higurashi   
  
Currently in the Sengoku Jidai   
  
Higurashi Shrine   
  
Tokyo,   
  
Japan   
  
Not only was it odd that it was written in English, but what was written made her freeze.   
  
"Currently In the Sengoku Jidai..." 'How do they know I was there? Better question, WHO knows that I was in the Sengoku Jidai, what else do they know about my secret life?' Kagome thought panic stricken.   
  
"Wha...what's going on here?" she stuttered. The envelope was thick and heavy and made of a tough yellow paper. The address was written in emerald green ink. She turned it over, to reveal a seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter "H". Shakily she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. Now, If the address wasn't shocking enough, then this definitely was. After reading it through once, in utter disbelief, she read it through again, this time out loud:   
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL   
  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY   
  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore   
  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,   
  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)   
  
Dear Ms. Higurashi,   
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.   
  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.   
  
Yours Sincerely,   
  
Minerva McGonnagall   
  
Minerva McGonnagall   
  
Deputy HeadMistress   
  
"This letter says that, I'm..I'm...a witch?? I can't believe it, I can't be a witch, this has got to be a joke!"   
  
Kagome had an uncertain feeling about this whole thing though...'Is it really that crazy that I could be a witch? After everything that's happened to me, is it really that crazy an idea? I should go and ask mom about this.' Kagome was shaking, she jumped off her bed, dashed out of the room, and down the stairs.   
  
"MOM! MOM! You won't believe this!" She spotted her mom, she was outside taking laundry off the clothes line. Kagome ran out the back door.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi had just taken the last shirt off the line, when she looked up in time to see her daughter running toward her, with a worried look on her face.   
  
"What's wrong, Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked concerned.   
  
"Look at this! It's that letter! Read it, look at what it says!" Kagome exclaimed, out of breath.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi took the letter and began to read it. When she had finished, she looked up at Kagome, smiling and said, "I wondered when this day would come."   
  
~*End of Chapter One*~   
  
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Don't you just HATE cliff hangers? haha I'm so mean... don't worry next chapter will be out very soon because its already finished ^_^  
  
Next chapter is called: -:- CROSSING THE RUBICON -:- What will happen when Kagome finds out the truth about her family? What about the Sengoku Jidai? Looks like Kagome has got quite the decision to make...   
  
Why don't you review and I'll let you read the next chapter, deal? :-P 


	2. Crossing the Rubicon

Note: The expression "Crossing the Rubicon" means to make a big decision in your life. It comes from Roman History, when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River and marched his army into Rome. He made a choice to start civil war. Wow, paying attention in history class can pay off sometimes. :-) lol!   
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Inuyasha do not belong to me. I'm not making any money off this, what so ever. :-P  
  
Now, on with the story....   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Inuyasha woke with a start. He was still leaning against the well and had fallen asleep. 'What the...? I'm at the Bone Eater's Well...I guess I fell asleep...' Inuyasha looked up at the sky, the sun was just setting. 'Where the HELL is Kagome?! She's late...AGAIN.'   
  
"Huh, if she thinks I'm gonna wait around for her, she's got another thing coming!" Inuyasha exclaimed angrily as he jumped down the well and slipped through time.   
  
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*  
  
Kagome had been packing up all her belongings for the past hour, trying to gather anything she might need during her stay at Hogwarts.  
  
'I wonder what It's going to be like there...at this Hogwarts place...' Kagome thought worriedly.   
  
*Flashback*   
  
Kagome's mother smiled at her daughter,   
  
"I remember when I got my first letter, of course I was much younger. Your letter is a little late, you usually get your letter when you turn eleven, but I'm sure Dumbledore has his reasons."   
  
"So you got one of these too?" She asked holding up the letter, "So its no joke...I'm really a.."   
  
"Witch, yes, how could you not be? Your father was a wizard and I'm a witch,"   
  
"Why didn't you ever tell me then?" Kagome demanded, a little bit irritated that her mother had known all this time and never said a word to her about it. A dark look crossed over Mrs. Higurashi's face. Kagome thought for a moment she saw a trace of fear flash over her eyes.   
  
"Kagome...come and sit down, its a long story that you need to hear," her voice had become both serious and perturbed, as if she were speaking of some terrible tragedy.   
  
Kagome hesitated for a moment, she had been taken aback by her mother's change in mood. She followed her mother to the Goshinboku tree, Mrs. Higurashi sat down slowly on the bench beside it. Kagome sat next to her, waiting for this "long story" to be told.   
  
"I suppose I should start from the beginning... Twenty-three years ago, I also received a letter from Hogwarts, but you see I knew that I was a witch my whole life. I grew up in a wizarding family and knew of the magical world." Mrs. Higurashi explained before pausing, "I went to Hogwarts for seven years, and while I was there, I met your father. We graduated from Hogwarts and soon after your father proposed to me right here under this tree. We had you about a year later, Kagome, and we were very happy at the time. Then Sota came, we had two children in our lives now. Your father had gotten a job at the ministry as an Auror-a well respected job." Mrs. Higurashi added, noticing Kagome's questioning look. "Your father fought those who supported and practiced dark magic. But then terrible things began to happen. A dark wizard began to round up supporters, those who didn't agree to serve him were killed, no one survived. He was very powerful, he spread fear and panic through out the entire wizard world. It seemed the magical world was doomed to slip into darkness and serve the Dark Lord. Your father and I were scared, but we were part of a secret organization called the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
"Order of The Phoenix?" Kagome asked dubiously.  
  
" Yes, this group was the only thing stopping You-Know-Who from taking complete control. Albus Dumbledore was head of it, in fact. He's the headmaster at Hogwarts right now. Well, one day, You-Know-Who's followers managed to get a hold of the list of the members to the Order. It was terrible. He came in the night and killed a lot of the people in the Order." Mrs. Higurashi continued, her voice tightening. Kagome sat in silence, listening raptly to her mother.   
  
"You and Sota were both so young. You-Know-Who found our name on that list and came in the night. Your father..." Her voice broke, it was nearly impossible for her to talk for there was a thick lump in her throat.   
  
Kagome put her arm around her mother's shoulder and gently spoke up, "Mom it's okay, you don't have to-  
  
"I'm fine." Mrs. Higurashi interrupted.  
  
"You don't have to talk about it, Mom it's okay." Kagome added, she didn't want to see her mother crying...  
  
"No, Kagome, You need to know this-all of it." Mrs. Higurashi replied her voice returning to normal. She cleared her throat and continued.   
  
"Your father, held him off, and told me to take you and Sota and escape. I ran with both of you in my arms as fast as I could, I heard a horrible explosion and a flash of green light illuminated the ground. I turned around to see the house had been completely destroyed." Mrs. Higurashi took a napkin out of her pocket and wiped her face.  
  
"Kagome, your father was very brave, I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth before." She whispered hoarsely.   
  
Kagome's eyes were burning and her stomach felt like it had dropped somewhere around her knees. Her father was murdered by an evil wizard. He died trying to protect his family. He hadn't died in that horrendous subway collision she had grown up believing. Everything felt like it had been flipped upside down.   
  
"Why-" But her voice came out as a cracked whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Why didn't you ever tell me this?"   
  
"Kagome...after the attack Dumbledore said it would be best if we went into hiding, no doubt You-Know-Who would be back to finish us off. We moved to Tokyo and started a new magic-free life, in hopes that You-Know-Who would never find us here. I kept the truth from you because you were so young, and I thought it would be best if you didn't even know about the magical world."   
  
"Well then is... HE still after us?" Kagome asked, fear creeping into her voice. She could hear her heart thumping against her chest.   
  
"No, not anymore, he was defeated a long time ago, soon after he attacked us.   
  
"How was he defeated? Who defeated him?" Kagome questioned-anxious for the answer.   
  
"Soon after he attacked us, He went after another family in the Order, the Potter family. I remember them so well, I went to school with them. Lily and James Potter. They had had a son just a year old, Harry. You-Know-Who came and killed James; he tried to fight him off. Lily had died protecting Harry. You-Know-Who tried to kill the baby, but something happened that night. The curse He used on Harry bounced off him and, in turn, destroyed the Dark Lord. The only injury that Harry received was a scar shaped like a lightning bolt on his forehead. He is the only person in history that has been able to live through that curse- the strongest curse there is. It cannot be deflected or stopped, and yet he survived. Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived, and he is famous for it. That's why it's safe for now, You-Know-Who has been defeated and life in the wizarding world returned to the way it was before." Mrs. Higurashi blew her nose hard into her tissue.   
  
Kagome sat rigid on the bench trying to soak in all the information that had been thrown at her. 'I'm a witch...Dad was murdered by a dark wizard...we've been in hiding for years...I'm going to Hogwarts a school of magic...' Kagome's temple had begun to throb.   
  
"Mom, what was his name? The name of the evil wizard, I mean." Kagome asked, she had just realized her mother had not once used his name, but called him the "Dark Lord" or "You-Know-Who".   
  
"People today still fear to use his name, no one ever says it, except maybe for Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore was the only person that You-Know-Who ever feared." Mrs. Higurashi explained. Then in a hushed voice she went on, "his name was Lord Voldemort."   
  
"Voldemort?" Kagome exclaimed. Mrs. Higurashi jumped off the bench at the name.   
  
"Kagome! Keep your voice down, that name is not something you want to go around saying." Mrs. Higurashi scolded as she regained her composure.   
  
"So then about the letter..." Kagome started wanting to change the subject.   
  
"Yes, you've been accepted into Hogwarts, you won't have to go to your Muggle school anymore."   
  
"Muggle?" Kagome asked confused.   
  
"It means a non-magic person. Kagome, would you want to go to Hogwarts?" Her mother asked.   
  
Kagome thought about this, 'If I go to Hogwarts I can learn magic...I bet I could use that in the Sengoku Jidai more than polynomials...but what about Yuka, Ayumi, Erie, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango? How long would I be gone for? How far away would I be from them?'   
  
"Where is it?"   
  
"In Britain, dear, I know it's far from home, but you can come back during the holidays and during summer break. It's up to you, Kagome think about it, I know you'll decide what's best for you." Mrs. Higurashi stood up with an encouraging smile.   
  
"I have to go put the laundry away," she said while picking up her basket, "If you need me I'm here, Kagome." and with that said she walked back into the house. Kagome sat deep in thought under the Goshinboku tree.   
  
*End of Flash back*   
  
Kagome had thought about her mission with Inuyasha, her "Muggle" friends and "Muggle" life, and then the possibility of her first year at Hogwarts. One decision-too many choices. 'Hogwarts...If I go there, I'll learn magic, mom said...' Kagome thought, 'Maybe even magic that I could fight demons with. The search for the jewel shards is getting more and more dangerous... I may be able to use my arrows, but I can't fight like Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha can...' she thought guiltily. Memories of all their most dangerous battles ran through her mind...the fight with the water god, the battle against Kageromaru and Juuromaru... 'In these battles...I don't belong, I ended up being more a nuisance than a help.' Not to mention all the times she had been captured and had needed rescuing... she shuddered at this thought. 'I'll go to Hogwarts, and come back to finish our mission, and then I won't be the useless Shard detector.' She stood up and straitened the wrinkles in her skirt. A breeze picked up and swept her hair around her face as she gazed over Tokyo for one of the last times. She was determined now. Nothing was going to stop her from going, she had to do this for her friends and for herself. 'Inuyasha...not even you are going to stop me, I won't let you, I won't let anyone...'  
  
Kagome had come to this conclusion a few hours ago. That's when she had rummaged through her closet for her suitcase and had begun to pack her clothes and other artifacts she couldn't part with.   
  
She looked at the clock, it was now six o' clock in the evening.  
  
There was a sharp BANG as her bedroom door flung open and collided with the wall. Kagome looked up in annoyance to see her brother gaping at her with wide eyes.  
  
"Sota, it's rude to just barge in to someone's room without knocking!" Kagome reprimanded him.  
  
"S-sis, is it really true? Mom said that you're going away to a private school to learn magic!" Sota exclaimed completely ignoring his sister's scolding.  
  
Kagome sighed, "Yes, I'm going to learn magic at Hogwarts because I'm a witch." She really didn't feel like talking at this moment because she was trying to think of ways to tell Inuyasha why she would be leaving Japan for an entire year.  
  
"Well, if you're a witch what does that make me?" Sota asked eagerly, "When do I get to go and learn magic?"  
  
"Umm, I think you might be a wizard." Kagome said thoughtfully, "Maybe you'll just turn out to be a squib. And if you are a wizard then you won't be going untill eleven and even then...who knows I got my letter today and I'm fifteen." Kagome said simply.  
  
"Awww, that's not fair! I wanted to go with you." Sota whined.  
  
Kagome felt sorry for him, after all, who would want to be left behind while your older sister got to learn spells and do who knew what. "Sota...I'll be sure to tell you all about it, and I'll write letters to you, okay? I won't let you miss a thing." Kagome said happily trying to cheer her little brother up. It seemed to work because the next minute Sota's face had brightened with a genuine smile.   
  
"Okay, thanks Kagome." Sota replied as he strode out of her room.  
  
"Little brat didn't close the door behind him." Kagome muttered smiling.   
  
'I'm surprised Inuyasha hasn't come back to get me. I didn't even tell him that I was going home, he must be pretty mad right now...' Kagome had finally managed to get her suit case closed and locked.   
  
"Phew! Wow, I guess I packed a little more than I thought." Kagome exclaimed sheepishly at her crammed suitcase.   
  
Kagome lugged her suitcase to the corner of the room, then she flopped down on her soft, pink bed. Kagome suddenly thought of something she hadn't before, 'How am I going to tell Inuyasha and the others that I'm leaving?!' She froze, knowing Inuyasha, he would be furious-maybe not even allow her to leave... But I have to go, its something that I have to do.' Kagome thought determinedly, 'Inuyasha will have to try and understand. I'm going to come back, I'm not leaving forever.' Even still Kagome couldn't help but feel guilty about leaving. 'I know Miroku, Sango, and even Shippou will understand, but Inuyasha...' Kagome knew he wouldn't, and she couldn't blame him-or any of them if they were mad at her for leaving. Kagome closed her eyes, she was extremely tired from her days events. She was just about to fall asleep when,   
  
"KAAGOMMEE!" An angry voice bellowed at her from downstairs.   
  
Ughh...not now..." She groaned. All she wanted was to get a night's sleep, she didn't want to have to deal with her situation right now with Inuyasha.   
  
Kagome opened her eyes and jumped. She was startled to see Inuyasha glaring at her from the doorway. Kagome sat up and and then stood, staring back at him, waiting for him to begin yelling at her for her tardiness. And sure enough, he did.   
  
"What are you doing sleeping?? You were supposed to be back HOURS ago!" Inuyasha exclaimed angrily. "We're leaving the village tomorrow, there's a rumor of a demon possessing a shard in the South, so let's go," Inuyasha explained as he went to grab Kagome's suitcase.   
  
"Kagome, what's in this thing?? You're not going to drag this with you, it'll slow us down!" Inuyasha complained.   
  
"Inuyasha...I'm not going back with you..." Kagome explained gently, "I'm going to a new school-far away-and I'm going to be there for a while."   
  
"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha demanded, "We have to find the shards-you can't just leave!! What about Naraku??" Inuyasha barked back. 'Kagome, what do you mean your leaving???' he thought worriedly.   
  
"I'm coming back, Inuyasha, and when I do, I'll go back with you to the Sengoku Jidai." Kagome replied. "I'm sorry but I have to go; its something I have to do." Kagome knew this was going to be difficult, but she had to go through with it, she knew he would be upset.   
  
'Kagome...' Inuyasha thought sadly. 'I can't stop you, and you look determined about leaving...there's...nothing I can do...' Inuyasha clenched his fist.   
  
"Feh, Go ahead and leave I'm not going to stop you, if your going to just abandon the search for Naraku and the shards, then we're better off without you!!" He spat before turning his back to her.   
  
"Inuyasha, I'm really sorry," Kagome tried, she was beginning to feel a lump forming in the back of her throat, "Please don't be mad."   
  
Inuyasha whirled around, "I'M NOT MAD!! I TOLD YOU, DO WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT!!! Leave if you want, no one is stopping you!"   
  
'Yeah right, Inuyasha, your definitely mad at me...' Kagome was starting to get angry herself. Here she was, trying to explain to him why she had to leave, telling him that she would come back, and how she felt bad about leaving; and he just threw it in her face!   
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome began.   
  
"What am I supposed to tell Miroku, Sango, and Shippou- you're just going to abandon them too? I'm going to have to put up with Shippou's whining the whole time your gone, thanks a lot, Kagome." Inuyasha retorted bitterly.   
  
Kagome blinked. She was very surprised at what Inuyasha had just said. "Inuyasha...You think I'm abandoning you? Is that what you're worried about?" Kagome asked concerned.   
  
Inuyasha froze, he didn't know what to say, he was worried that she would leave and forget about him or never come back, but he couldn't say this, he didn't want to admit it to himself.   
  
"Feh, I can't believe what an idiot you are, really." Inuyasha snarled, "Why would I be worried about that?"   
  
Kagome's eye was starting to twitch again-not a good sign... 'Inuyasha...you don't have to be a jerk about it, I was just asking a question, you don't have to get so defensive...' she thought.   
  
"SIT!" She screamed.   
  
Inuyasha felt that very familiar sensation of being pulled very forcefully into the ground. Inuyasha did a nice face-plant into the hardwood floor.   
  
"AAARGHH!!!" Was all Inuyasha managed to choke out.   
  
"You can be so insensitive sometimes, Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed as she walked over his prone figure and sat down on her bed. "There's more to it then me just going to a new school. I'm going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I'm going to learn magic."   
  
Inuyasha perked his ears up, 'Magic?'   
  
"My mom told me that I'm a witch." Kagome said simply.   
  
"What?!!" Inuyasha couldn't believe it, sure Kagome had some mysterious powers, but a WITCH?   
  
"Are you sure about this?" Inuyasha asked, the sit spell had worn off and he was now pulling himself to his feet.   
  
"Yeah, my mom is a witch and my dad...was a wizard..." Kagome couldn't help but remind herself how he had died, she stared hard at the floor.   
  
Inuyasha noticed this. 'Kagome has never mentioned her father before, I figured that he had died along time ago...I guess I wasn't wrong...'   
  
"Kagome...how did he die?" Inuyasha asked quietly.   
  
Kagome took a deep breath, she was going to tell Inuyasha everything-about her dad, about Voldemort, and why she herself had just found out she was a witch. It didn't take long, Kagome tried to shorten it as much as possible, but Inuyasha sat and listened; he didn't interrupt her.   
  
"I'm sorry." Inuyasha said quietly when she had finished. Kagome looked up at him. She was surprised he was apologizing.   
  
"Inuyasha, it's not your fault." Kagome replied, surprised that he had apologized. 'Inuyasha...'   
  
Kagome looked at the clock it was seven-thirty, she had to get up early the next day. She stood up and stretched.   
  
"Inuyasha, I'm going to bed, you need to go back to the Sengoku Jidai." Kagome said, yawning.   
  
Inuyasha was still upset that she was leaving, and he grudgingly got to his feet.   
  
"Feh, fine, I'm leaving." He grunted. "So when are you going to that stupid school of yours?" Inuyasha asked, trying not to sound interested.   
  
"Tomorrow I'm going to get my school supplies, and then I'm leaving the day after." Kagome replied timidly, she wanted to see Inuyasha's reaction to this.   
  
Inuyasha's ear twitched.   
  
"You're leaving in two days?" He turned toward the door, " Feh, whatever."   
  
Inuyasha blinked in surprise as he felt Kagome come up behind and hug him.   
  
"Inuyasha, say good-bye to the others for me, I'm going to miss you all."   
  
"I will..." Inuyasha replied quietly. 'I'll miss you too, Kagome...'   
  
And with that Inuyasha turned and walked out of the room, Kagome stared after him. 'I hope the others will be okay while I'm gone...' she thought before turning to her bed. She turned out the light and climbed under the blankets. She fell asleep quickly, but her dreams were plagued by a certain hanyou, who happened to be very annoyed with her...   
  
End of Chapter*~   
  
.....  
  
.......  
  
Well, bet you didn't see *that* one coming...*rolls eyes*... It wouldn't be a cross over fic if Kagome didn't go to Hogwarts now would it? :-)  
  
Next chapter: Kagome will be going to Diagon Alley of course! to get her school supplies...then its off the Hogwarts. But I think I'll add in a *few* things..spice it up ;-)   
  
I know you wanna review...you're just scaareedd...I don't bite, I swear! :-) Well I want to hear what you guys think about my lil fic and if you have any comments about my story...or advice, thats always helpful when writing...I'd really appreciate it, and I'm not just saying that! ^_^ 


	3. Through the Fireplace to Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Harry Potter... I'm not making any money either.. :-P   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kagome was woken up early-five o' clock to be exact. She groaned as she pushed back the covers and rolled out of bed. Kagome walked to her window and peered out the curtain, the sun hadn't even risen yet.   
  
"Kagome, are you up yet?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, knocking on her door.   
  
"Yeah, Mom, I'm getting ready." Kagome called sleepily.   
  
"All right dear, we're leaving for Diagon Alley in a half hour," her mom explained, "so hurry up."   
  
Kagome walked over to her dresser and pulled out a white baby T and her favorite dark blue mini skirt. 'I wonder...what do witches wear??' Her mother had never mentioned what people in the wizarding world wore for clothes. 'I hope I don't stand out too much, but I guess this is fine for now.' She thought while checking her reflection in the mirror. Kagome ran a brush through her hair and pulled on a pair of white sandals before going downstairs. She walked into the kitchen and found her mom frying some eggs on the stove.   
  
"Kagome, could you please pop up the toast before it burns?" Mrs. Higurashi asked while nodding her head at the toaster.   
  
"Yeah, sure."   
  
"Mom, do I look all right?" Kagome asked as she buttered the toast. "I mean, I don't know what witches and wizards wear."   
  
"Don't worry, Kagome, you'll be just fine." Mrs. Higurashi replied gently. "Here, now sit down and eat good, we have a lot to get done today." Mrs. Higurashi urged as she set two plates on the table.   
  
Kagome ate quickly, she wanted to see Diagon Alley for herself. Her mom had told her there were tons of shops full of all sorts of magic and curious items. 'Of all the things I've seen in the Sengoku Jidai, I've never seen any wizards or witches.' She realized. 'I wonder if there are any here in Tokyo...'   
  
"All done, Kagome?"   
  
Kagome nodded. Mrs. Higurashi stood and hurried to the sink, where she quickly washed the breakfast dishes. When she had finished she walked out of the room, and disappeared upstairs. Kagome rested her chin in her hand, she was still half asleep. She looked at the clock, it was now quarter to six.   
  
"Ah, here we go!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed as she hurried back into the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi held two, what looked like, robes in her arms. They were very nice-looked like they were made of silk or satin.   
  
"What are those for?" Kagome asked curiously.   
  
"These," Mrs.Higurashi explained as she held a soft colored blue robe to Kagome, "are robes that witches and wizards usually wear."   
  
Kagome took it, and carefully examined it.   
  
"How pretty..." Kagome murmured.   
  
"Yes, I've had these for awhile now, I've been waiting to wear them." Mrs. Higurashi said as she pulled it over her turtleneck.   
  
Kagome stood up from the table and pulled hers on. She looked at her reflection in the toaster oven, admiring the shimmering color of her robe.   
  
"Thanks, Mom!" Kagome exclaimed. She turned around to see her Mom examining what looked like a polished stick.   
  
"Umm, what's that? Kagome asked perplexed.   
  
"My wand" Mrs. Higurashi told her, "All witches and wizards have one, it's very useful." Mrs. Higurashi continued while wiping the dust off it on a paper towel. "I haven't used this in years," she murmured.   
  
"Stand back, Kagome" Mrs. Higurashi warned. "I want to check and make sure it still works properly."   
  
Kagome immediately went and stood behind her mother, not knowing what to expect. Mrs. Higurashi raised her wand and flicked her wrist. A shower of white and pink roses burst in a flash of bright light from the tip of the wand. Kagome gasped and took a step back.   
  
"Perfect!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed, "I was worried it needed replacing."   
  
"A-Amazing" Kagome stuttered. 'I wonder if I'll learn to do that.' she thought hopefully.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi gently placed her wand in a hidden pocket on the inside of her robe.   
  
"Here, Kagome, have one." Mrs. Higurashi offered picking one of the pink roses up and holding it out to Kagome. Kagome took it cautiously, she wasn't sure what would happen when she touched it. Nothing happened. It was nothing but a regular pink rose. Kagome placed it in her hair.   
  
"Are we ready? All right then, follow me." Mrs. Higurashi said as she strode out of the kitchen.   
  
"Mom, how are we getting to Diagon Alley, isn't it in Britain?" Kagome asked, she had been wondering about this, Britain was very far away-on the other side of Europe.   
  
"We're going by floo powder." Mrs. Higurashi said simply.   
  
Kagome had no clue to what her mother was talking about.   
  
"Floo powder? What is that??" Kagome asked confused.   
  
"Well, It's powder that well, transports you to places magically..." Her mother began with great difficulty, "It's hard to explain, you'll see."   
  
Mrs. Higurashi turned into the living room. She pulled out her wand and again, gave it a quick wave. Right in front of where they stood, in the wall appeared a massive fireplace made of smooth marble and stone. It looked completely out of place in the Higurashi's small living room. Kagome just stared wide-eyed at it.   
  
'A fireplace? How is this going to get us to Diagon Alley?' Kagome thought puzzled.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi took a step towards it and pulled from her pocket a small, cloth bag.   
  
"Kagome listen carefully, take a handful of this floo powder." Mrs. Higurashi instructed. Kagome walked over and carefully cupped some in her hand. "Good," Mrs. Higurashi said encouragingly, "Now, step into the fireplace." Kagome did so, she was starting to get extremely nervous about what was going to happen. "Now when I say so, throw down your floo powder and say "Diagon Alley". Make sure you say it very clearly, it's extremely important that you do." Mrs. Higurashi cautioned. "And don't worry, I'll be right behind you."   
  
'Right behind me?' Kagome wondered.   
  
"Ready? One...two...three,"   
  
"Diagon Alley!" Kagome exclaimed while throwing down her floo powder. Suddenly Kagome felt herself being engulfed in green flames and her living room had disappeared from sight. She closed her eyes and mouth trying not to inhale smoke and ash. She was spinning and the heat was so intense; she felt like she was going to be sick. She opened her eyes in time to see a swirl of bright colors before she was thrown down suddenly. She landed with a thud, everything had stopped spinning, the ash, smoke, and heat had disappeared and she was left laying on her back. She coughed and sputtered before chancing sitting up. She did, and as she opened her eyes she realized she was not in her house anymore. She wiped her face and looked around.   
  
'Where, where am I? What is this?' She thought as she stood up. It appeared to be some kind of store-unlike any she had seen before. 'I'm...in Diagon Alley!' She realized. Kagome turned as the fireplace behind her erupted again in green flame and Mrs. Higurashi stepped out.   
  
"Kagome, I'm glad you made it all right." Mrs. Higurashi said cheerfully. Kagome's mother looked around for a moment.   
  
"I see we made it to Flourish and Blots all right." Mrs. Higurashi said brightly as she helped brush the ash and soot from Kagome's back. Flourish and Blotts turned out to be a book store. But not just any ordinary book store, as Kagome realized. There were thick books bound in leather as large as sidewalk slabs piled high to the ceiling and books bound in satin the size of matchboxes. Some books contained bizarre symbols and others were completely blank. Mrs. Higurashi pulled out Kagome's list and went about finding the right books. Meanwhile, Kagome enjoyed flipping through spell books, especially Curses and Counter Curses, by Professor Vindictus Viridian; explaining how to jinx and curse your friends and enemies.   
  
'Hmm maybe I could try a few of these on, Inuyasha.' Kagome thought mischievously.   
  
As she flipped through the pages, Kagome noticed that the pictures in all the books moved.   
  
'I'm definitely bringing a book back with me to the Sengoku Jidai, wait until the others see this.' Kagome thought still gaping at the peculiar books. There were some that sang to her when she opened to a certain page, and others that yelled obscenities when she closed them.   
  
"Kagome! I got all your books, but we need to go to Gringotts Bank, I've run out of money for the rest of your supplies." her mother explained as she gathered the pile of books into a brown sack.   
  
"There's a bank too?"   
  
"Of course now let's go, its starting to get crowded, here" Mrs. Higurashi replied.   
  
Kagome looked around, there were many people coming in now. Kagome looked at them some were wearing robes, others long capes. Some wore bright colors and others wore bland colored clothes. Kagome couldn't help but giggle softly as a little man with a tall green top-twice the size of him-strode into the store.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi smiled and ushered her out of the door. Kagome stepped outside into the bright sunlight. She looked around, there were stores lining the streets of all sorts. The nearest shop featured cauldrons of all kinds and sizes; some made of copper, brass, pewter, and silver.   
  
'This is amazing...it's nothing I've ever seen before...' Kagome thought in wondrous silence. Her eyes hungrily roamed over everything and anything, she wanted to learn everything about this world; it was completely foreign, like something one would only find in a child's fantasy book. Kagome whirled around to face her mother who was standing and also taking in the busy street that was Diagon Alley. Her mother's face was graced with a soft smile, she had a dreamy expression as she took in the sights before her. She was not aware of her daughters questioning look, she was lost in a bitter sweet reverie...   
  
"It's been so long...I had almost forgotten, I guess I never realized how much I loved this world... and still do." Mrs. Higurashi murmured wistfully.   
  
"Mom?" Kagome asked questioningly, 'It must have been difficult for her, to have lived in one world your entire life, and then to be thrown into a completely different one. Then not to mention living in fear of a lurking danger...'   
  
Mrs. Higurashi shook her head gently, coming out of her reverie, and returned her gaze back to Kagome. "Well we should get going, we still need to get your money out of Gringotts and buy the rest of your supplies."  
  
Kagome nodded in response to this and they began walking down the crowded cobblestone streets. Everywhere Kagome looked there was something unusual to look at, one store had a single broom hovering in the air on display in the window. Curious, Kagome wandered over to the display and looked closely at the broom. It's mahogany handle was polished to a gleaming perfection and not a single twig was out of place in its tail. Kagome pressed her face against the glass to read a small inscription at the top of the handle. In neat, silver cursive was etched, 'QuickSilver'. 'Quicksilver?' Kagome wondered. But a sign next to the broom on display answered her question, 'Quicksilver, can reach speeds of 85 miles per hour in under 6.3 seconds. Is the newest broomstick used by professional quidditch players, best known for its accuracy and handling.' Kagome stood back from the display, now even more confused than before, 'I must know absolutely nothing about this world,' she realized.  
  
"Quidditch," Mrs. Higurashi began as she stepped beside her daughter, "is a game played in the wizarding world and its very popular." Kagome turned to look at her mother smiling. Mrs. Higurashi looked over the broom behind the glass. "I had a Comet once, but my brother used it for bludger practice and, well, lets just say it ended being used for kindling after that." Mrs. Higurashi said with a smile tugging the corners of her lips. Kagome didn't know what a 'bludger' was, but knew what kindling was and couldn't help but smile back. Mrs. Higurashi took a glance at her watch and gasped, "Oh, look at the time! We can look at all the shops after we get to Gringotts." Mrs. Higurashi urged as she dragged Kagome from the broomstick shop. Mrs. Higurashi had quickened her pace, and Kagome had to weave in out of groups of people before she finally caught up. Kagome looked up in time to see a big, white building looming over the other shops on the street. It was three stories tall and looked like it could collapse at any minute. "Ah, Gringotts!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed triumphantly.  
  
"This is it?" Kagome asked, "It looks like its about to topple over."  
  
"Don't worry, it won't, its supported by magic." Mrs. Higurashi reassured her.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi walked up the stairs, followed closely by Kagome, who had just noticed the little creature standing beside the bronze doors. Mrs. Higurashi bowed respectfully to him as he did the same, before opening the doors for them. Kagome bowed also and then stepped beyond the threshold. They came to another set of doors, silver and etched upon them was this:  
  
Enter, stranger, but take heed  
  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
  
So if you seek beneath our floors   
  
A treasure that was never yours,  
  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
  
Of finding more than treasure there.  
  
"Gringotts is one of the most safest places in the wizarding world, that is, besides Hogwarts." Mrs. Higurashi informed her. Kagome nodded at this, wondering what else was down there besides treasure... A second pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they entered a large marble hall. This room was filled with goblins, sitting at a long counter writing into ledgers, counting coins, and examining jewels with eye glasses. Mrs. Higurashi approached one of the goblins.  
  
"Hello," said Mrs. Higurashi expertly in English, "Miss Kagome Higurashi would like to make a withdrawal."  
  
The goblin raised his head and nodded asking, "Does Miss Higurashi have her key?"  
  
"Oh, why yes, here it is," Mrs. Higurashi replied pulling a golden key from her robes and handing it to the goblin.  
  
The goblin examined it, looked up, and waved another goblin over.   
  
"Mindralp will take you down to your vault," the goblin replied as Mindralp walked over to them.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
  
  
Two cart rides later, a very dizzy Kagome emerged from Gringotts with a sack load of wizard money.  
  
"Now, where should we head to firs-" But Mrs. Higurashi had stopped short of her sentence. She was watching a man with long platinum blonde hair approach them.   
  
"Hello, Lucius," Mrs. Higurashi said with a faint smile. The man she had just addressed nodded in reply.  
  
"It's been awhile hasn't it, Fuhjiko?" The man had a drawling voice and Kagome was sensing an odd presence radiating from him, almost like a demons, but not quite. The man's eyes glanced away from Mrs. Higurashi, and came to rest on Kagome.  
  
"And who might this be?" He asked in the same calm tone.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, this is my daughter, Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi replied with a smile.   
  
"Nice to meet you," Kagome said politely while slightly bowing her head.  
  
"Likewise." Lucius replied still eyeing her, "And this is my son, Draco." A sixteen year old boy stepped forward with blonde hair neatly slicked back, he had pale skin and gray eyes. "I assume you two are old acquaintances?" Lucius questioned in a dull tone.   
  
"Umm, actually..." Kagome began but Mrs. Higurashi cut in for her.  
  
"Actually this will be Kagome's first year at Hogwarts, she doesn't know anyone from there yet."  
  
"Ah, well then, Miss Higurashi comes from a... strong background," Lucius paused, "I'm sure she will make fast friends."   
  
Kagome flashed Draco a brilliant smile, she had noticed he had been staring at her during the conversation.   
  
Draco smirked at her in return. Kagome was extremely pretty, and even Draco had to admit this... 'Not to mention she isn't some dirty mudblood...that's a plus...'  
  
Mrs. Higurashi and Lucius had gone into a deep conversation. They were talking about the on-goings of the wizarding world in the past fifteen years...  
  
"So," the boy Draco began, like his father he too had a drawling, bored voice, "do you have any idea what house you might be in?"   
  
"Umm..." Kagome had no clue to what the boy was talking about, but luckily he had answered before she could.  
  
"I'm in Slytherin, of course, my family has been in Slyherin for generations." He informed her.  
  
"Oh," Was all Kagome said. Deciding to ask while she had the chance she boldly began, "What are the other houses?"   
  
The boy raised his eyebrows, "You mean you don't know?" He gave her an arrogant smirk and sneered, "And here I thought I was talking to a witch not some ignorant mudblood."   
  
Kagome glared back at him, 'why the change in mood, why is he being rude now?'  
  
"What did you just call me?" She demanded hotly.  
  
"A mudblood, good lord, you don't know what that is either?" The boy asked incredulously.  
  
The fact that she knew nothing about the wizarding world had hit her. But now she was just plain angry, 'Who does this boy think he is?' Kagome glanced over at her mother, she was still talking to Lucius, not noticing the developing argument between Draco and her.  
  
"Listen you little Albino," Kagome began bearing down on the smirking boy in front of her, "you don't know me, you know nothing, so maybe you should get to know someone before judging them." Kagome stood back from him, glaring. The boy was no longer smirking, but instead he had a look of surprise written on his handsome, pale face. Not many dared to speak that way to him-or to any Malfoy. Kagome seemed to have calmed down before speaking again, "all I want is an apology, okay? I don't know you very well, and I'd like for us to not start the year as enemies." Kagome added softer this time.  
  
Draco Malfoy did not know whether to be insulted or impressed. He had just called her one of the most foul names and she him, yet she was willing to forgive him and give him a second chance? This Kagome girl was definitley different...Draco looked down and noticed her hand held out to him. Draco stared at it, still debating. He turned his face to hers and met bright, hopeful eyes staring back at him. He looked away grudgingly and lazily grasped her hand. When he looked back at her she was smiling that bright smile of hers that had captured his interest when they had first met...Draco shook his head, 'What's wrong with me? She may be a pureblood witch, but she knows nothing about our world, how could I associate with the likes of her? I'm doing it for my father, he seems to like the Higurashis, yes, that's a perfectly good reason why I should talk to her,' Malfoy convinced himself. There was just something unusual about Kagome that he couldn't put his finger on, it interested him and he was disgusted he had no control over this.   
  
Kagome's usual cheerful mood had returned, she had a feeling that he wasn't completely rotten. Like the first time she met Inuyasha, she had an unshakable feeling that he had a nice side...somewhere. 'Oh well, I guess I'll find out...'  
  
"So does this mean I can ask you my question now without you insulting me?" Kagome asked teasingly.  
  
Draco's smirk returned, "Go ahead, doesn't mean I'll answer it."  
  
Kagome's smile faltered a little but she asked anyway, for the second time now, "What are the other houses?"   
  
Draco raised an eyebrow and replied in a bored tone, "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw." Seeing her puzzled expression he answered her unasked question, "when you first get to Hogwarts I expect they'll sort you into one of those houses."  
  
Comprehension dawned on her face before she nodded. "Thanks," Kagome replied glad that he was acting civil to her now.  
  
"Your welcome," Draco replied.   
  
"Kagome, are you ready?" Mrs. Higurashi had just finished talking to Lucius and was calling to her, motioning to the shops, "It's getting late, come on!"  
  
"Be right there!" Kagome called back. She turned back to Draco smiling and said, "It was really nice to meet you, I'm sorry about before, when I called you an...Albino," Kagome apologized blushing slightly.  
  
"It's all right," He replied in his usual drawling voice, trying not to reveal any emotion on his face, "I'll see you at Hogwarts."  
  
Kagome smiled and waved over her shoulder as she ran over to join her mother.  
  
*~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
"Okay, we've got you your robes, books, cauldron, potions, and let's see...is that it?" Mrs. Higurashi questioned.   
  
Kagome looked at her list and quickly found the last item she needed. "Mom, it says I need a wand." Kagome replied.  
  
"Only one place for that, Ollivanders." Mrs. Higurashi said simply.   
  
They continued down the street, which was even more crowded than before, people were out getting lunch and many students were doing some last minute shopping before leaving for Hogwarts the next day.  
  
Mrs.Higurashi turned and entered a narrow shabby store, motioning for Kagome to follow her. Kagome entered, inside was dusty and rather cramped, hundreds of narrow boxes lined the walls on shelves.   
  
"Good afternoon, Fuhjiko, nice to see you!...unicorn hair, mahogany, twelve inches, excellent wand, especially for transfigurations." replied a voice coming from the back of the store. An elderly man approached them smiling.  
  
"Nice to see you too, Mr. Ollivander, and yes, always worked best for transfigurating." Mrs. Higurashi replied with a smile.  
  
"Ahh, this must be Kagome is it?" Mr. Ollivander asked.  
  
"Nice to meet you." Kagome replied.  
  
"All right, now, let me just get your measurements, ah that's perfect! I have just the wand for you." Mr. Ollivander walked over to the wall of boxes and pulled one out. "Unicorn hair, oak, 7 1/2 inches, here give it wave." Mr. Ollivander urged her, while handing her the wand. Kagome was just about to wave it when he snatched it back from her. "No, no, here try this one, dragon heartstring, dogwood, 13 inches."  
  
Kagome waved it and all the glass windows in the shop shattered and burst violently. Kagome dropped the wand and took a step back. "Hmm, suppose not then." Mr. Ollivander muttered to himself with a smile. He then began to climb a latter to the highest shelf and pulled out a dusty box. "Hopefully," he called down to Kagome, "your powers aren't too great for this wand, I'm quite fond of it and I'd hate to see it explode in your hands."   
  
"Explode?!" Kagome squeaked. Her heart pounded against her chest.  
  
"Yes, well, let's just hope for the best then, dog demon hair, cherry, twelve inches, rather springy." Mr. Ollivander replied nonchalantly. He handed Kagome the wand.  
  
'Please don't let it explode!' Kagome thought as she grasped the handle. A warm tingling sensation spread through her fingers, and when she waved it red and gold sparks shot out the end.   
  
"Perfect! I'm glad I could find someone strong enough to use that wand, had it for years I have!" Mr. Ollivander exclaimed delighted.  
  
Kagome paid for her wand and they left the shop saying their farewells to Mr. Ollivander.   
  
"Now we can go home, and you need to get all your things together and in front of the door." Mrs. Higurashi explained as they wove their way past the shops and through groups of people talking merrily together.   
  
"Itai!" Kagome exclaimed, as she collided into something soft, or someone soft. Kagome had fallen to her knees and was soon pelted with many heavy books as they fell from the carriers arms. "Ughhh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Kagome quickly apologized while scooping up the fallen books. The person she had collided with held out a hand and pulled her to her feet. "Here," she said as she handed over the books. She looked up and met two bright, emerald green eyes. 


	4. Uncomfortable Stares and Wizard Wears

Chapter 4...Uncomfortable Stares and Wizard Wears   
  
By: Mikairi   
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K.Rowling and Inuyasha belongs to Ruhmiko Takahashi, respectively. I'm not making any profit from this story whatsoever. :-P

* * *

"Err, sorry about that, I guess I didn't see you there." The boy replied sheepishly.   
  
"That's all right," Kagome said smiling, "Oh! I hope they weren't ruined." She pointed to a particularly soggy text book that had splashed into a nearby mud puddle.   
  
"Oh," the boy began to wipe it furiously with the end of his shirt sleeve. Kagome reached into one of her inner pockets of her robe and pulled out a pale pink handkerchief.   
  
"Here let me help." She reached for the book and attempted to dab the grubby water from the pages.   
  
"Thanks," the boy answered.   
  
"That's the best I can do though, I mean without magic or anything." Kagome said rather softly, she felt heat creeping to her cheeks, 'Not that I can do any real magic...' she thought miserably.   
  
The boy noticed her downcast expression, "Err, it's really all right I can have my friend clean it for me when I get back to Hogwarts, she knows loads of good spells." The boy reassured her.   
  
Kagome's face brightened, "You're going to Hogwarts?"   
  
"Yeah I'm in sixth year, but I don't think I've seen you before?"   
  
"Oh!" Kagome mentally kicked herself, "That's because I'm new this year, I'm Kagome Higurashi by the way, and you are...?"   
  
"Harry Potter." The boy said quietly as he glanced around at passersby.   
  
"Harry Potter!" Kagome exclaimed, excited that she knew at least something about the wizarding world.   
  
The boy winced at her shrill and rather loud exclamation, and Kagome immediately regretted her outburst. She couldn't help but notice the heads that whirled in their direction and the whispers that accompanied the gawking stares.   
  
She covered her mouth with one hand, "I'm sorry about that, it's just...I don't really know much about this place and you're the only thing, well person, that I know about." Kagome said this while examining a very interesting pebble. "After all, you're famous and, and...and you probably really don't want to be talking about this in the middle of a crowded street." Kagome answered looking up rather sheepishly. 'Wow, Kag, just stop talking, please, please? First Draco Malfoy now Harry Potter...' Kagome thought gloomily as her face, again, radiated with heat that she was sure he could feel.   
  
The boy couldn't help but grin, she was so awkward he couldn't help it. But there was just one thing about this girl, something very different, what was it? Maybe it was the fact that she was the few who realized that he wasn't a display at a zoo, that she had held herself back instead of bombarding him with the usual questions about his scar and past. It was a nice change, really.   
  
Maybe that's why he had no problem asking her, "You're taking the train, right?"   
  
"Huh? Oh, yes, I think so..." Kagome thought hoping beyond hope she would not have to be going by that horrible Floo Powder...   
  
"Well, then if you don't know anyone, maybe you would like to sit wi-"   
  
"Kagome, There you are! I was trying to explain to you about the train and when I turned around you were gone! But I have to stop at one more store, sorry, I just remembered I promised your grandfather and brother I'd get them-." Mrs. Higurashi was explaining in rapid Japanese as she appeared by her daughter's side, but upon seeing Harry, she quickly stopped and said, "But I'll let you have a few minutes." She smiled at Harry before turning to a store displaying self-cooking cutlery that had caught her attention.   
  
That's when Harry felt it, it was fleeting and rather faint, but he could now put into words what it was about the Japanese girl before him. She had a very strong aura, that's the best way he could put it now, and he found himself a little curious to know why. A dangerous thing curiosity was, Harry knew from experience, but also an extremely tempting thing as well.   
  
"Well, I should be going, now." Kagome said, "It was nice meeting you, I'll see you tomorrow?"   
  
"Sure," Harry replied, "Bye then."   
  
Kagome walked over to her mother and tapped her on the shoulder.   
  
"Kagome, I am very impressed with your English, you sound like a native." Mrs. Higurashi commented admiringly.   
  
Kagome beamed. As she began to walk away she turned around and waved back at the boy, Harry, before disappearing into one of the many stores.   
  
Harry waved back, and just as he was about to turn to leave, he saw Cho. Although Harry didn't like Cho Chang as much as he used to anymore, the sight of her stunned him for a moment, and that's when he lost his balance. It was like in slow motion: Cho walked by in a light green dress, a dainty necklace flashed brilliantly in the sunlight. She flipped her sheet of black hair behind her shoulder, and her face was lit with a dazzling smile. Harry froze, was about to wave, instead he trod on the ends of his shoe laces and fell into the mud puddle-arms flailing.   
  
'Perfect,' He had thought, but at least Cho had not seen him. She had walked right by him, as if he were invisible, and that's when something flashed in the corner of his eye. He scanned the ground before it flashed again. He lifted up his hand, and there, a polished piece of chipped glass lay. He looked at his palm and realized it was bleeding slightly, he must have flattened his hand on it when he fell. 'Cho dropped her necklace,' Harry thought as he picked the little glass bead up and saw the dangling chain. 'Where'd she go?' Harry scanned the thickening crowd but from his position, not much could be seen. Once again he collected his books and stood up, searching for an ebony head bouncing down the street, nope she was gone. 'I'll give it back to her on the train then.' He thought simply before tucking it in his pocket and turning to meeting the brown eyes of a bushy haired girl he knew so well.

* * *

The store Kagome and her mother had walked into was a clothes and robe shop, complete with a display of shirts brandishing the title, "I'm with the WEIRD SISTERS" that flashed different colors and when read out loud, began to play loud rock music. ("They're the latest in wizard music, from what I've heard," Mrs. Higurashi had told her.) There was a rack of "Wardrobe Wonders" which was a simple, pale cloak that, with "the simplest spell," would transform into a pair of pants, shirt, skirt, etc., for when the modern day witch is in a, "clothes crisis," or so the sign said.   
  
"Kagome, why don't you come and pick some clothes out that you like." Mrs. Higurashi called as she dug through a bin of clearance items. Occasionally it omitted strange noises and Kagome giggled when she heard at least twenty WEIRD SISTER shirts go off in the clearance bin, followed by a crash as someone toppled over in surprise.   
  
Kagome must have tried on every garment in the shop twice before she had decided on her purchases, which included two Wardrobe Wonders, 'It's a miracle, everyday is a clothes crisis for me.' Kagome had thought as she happily carried out her many parcels and bags.   
  
"Kagome, those dress robes will look so lovely on you, pink has always been your color." Mrs. Higurashi had lamented as they made their way back to Flourish and Blotts. In the shop, Kagome's list had required her to buy dress robes. She had picked out a gown of soft, pale pink, made out of floaty material. The gown fitted her snugly around the middle and then blossomed like a bell, so that it just swept the floor. The robe had sleeves of the same floaty material with a few well placed diamond jewels. Of course, it had been very expensive, and it was a combination birthday/good-luck gift, her mother had told her. They walked five minutes time before they reached the familiar cauldron shop and then they were at Flourish and Blotts. Inside, the evening sun's golden rays reflected around the little shop making it appear to be glowing. Mrs. Higurashi had insisted upon carrying all the parcels through the fireplace.   
  
"Kagome, you go first. You know how to do it." Mrs. Higurashi ushered her as she tried to juggle all the bags.   
  
Kagome hesitantly stepped into the fire place, her hand closed tight around the Floo Powder. She braced herself and closed her eyes she threw her powder down and shouted forcefully, "Higurashi Shrine!"   
  
Green flames, blurred colors, distorted voices, and the sensation of fiery ash whipped her face-'I can't believe people actually travel like this!!!' Was Kagome's only thought as her stomach rose up in her throat. She wanted to scream, or let whatever it was inside her out, but experience told her that that was a bad idea. Until, once again, she was thrown carelessly out of the fireplace and landed sprawled on the cream colored carpet. Kagome opened her mouth and sucked in air-clean, fresh air. She creaked her eyes open to see her living room, as normal and ordinary like any other. Kagome pulled herself up, while massaging her hip where it had connected with the floor first.   
  
Another blast of green flames and Mrs. Higurashi stepped gracefully out of the ornate fireplace and deposited her bags neatly on the floor. Mrs. Higurashi caught a glance at Kagome and chuckled softly before pointing to a mirror hanging over the grand fireplace. Kagome cautiously stepped toward looked up and-   
  
"Kyyyaaaii!!!" Kagome shrieked. "I hate Floo Powder!" Kagome exclaimed turning to her mother who was laughing heartily now. Kagome looked back at the filthy girl, whose face was smeared with ash and who's hair was fried and sticking up in places. Kagome couldn't help but laugh, she looked absolutely ridiculous.   
  
"How would you like a nice, hot bath, Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, the corners of her mouth still twitching slightly in amusement.   
  
"That, would be wonderful mama."

* * *

"Now another thing you should know about, hmm, let's see here...well the Hogwarts Express." Mrs. Higurashi pondered out loud. Kagome and her family were sitting in the living room discussing the next days events. Kagome was just trying to soak in all this new information. So far they had discussed Diagon Alley, quidditch, purebloods, half bloods, wizard words ("mudblood" included), Hogsmeade, spells, famous wizards and witches ("Harry Potter and Dumbledore, Kagome" Mrs. Higurashi had told her right away.), and now they were discussing the school, Hogwarts.   
  
"The wha?" Kagome asked. "A train, are you serious?"   
  
"Yes, tomorrow we'll go by Floo Powder to-oh, Kagome it's not that bad-King's Cross Station. Then you will take the train to Hogwarts and they'll sort you into a house-they're like your "home room", so to speak." Mrs. Higurashi explained before taking a sip of her tea. "The houses are-   
  
"I know about this!" Kagome exclaimed excitedly, "Draco Malfoy told me all about the houses." Kagome said trying to sound casual and off hand like her mother.   
  
The corners of Mrs. Higurashi's mouth twitched slightly and her peaceful expression flickered, but only for a moment.   
  
"Kagome, you should know that, some wizards, like the Malfoys, well they aren't exactly the most, well they aren't the nicest wizards you could meet." Mrs. Higurashi began cautiously.   
  
Kagome raised her eyebrows, "What do you mean? You seemed friendly with Mr. Malfoy today, I saw you, you and him were talking..."   
  
Mrs. Higurashi cut her off, "It is not my intention to ever strike up a conversation with any Malfoy, Kagome, believe me." Her voice had taken on a sharpness that her family rarely heard.   
  
"Bad wizards, that's what they are, they treat muggleborns and half breeds like scum," Kagome's grandfather had spoken up, "Yeah I knew the Malfoys," He explained to Sota and Kagome who had questioning expressions. "Every single one of 'em came out bad, it explains why they've been sorted into Slytherin all these centuries." He shook his head sadly, "Since we, Higurashi's, are pure blood wizards, and witches," he added nodding at Kagome, "He tried to get us to join him and others to follow..." He and Mrs. Higurashi exchanged dark looks.   
  
"He tried to get us to follow Voldemort didn't he?" Kagome asked dreading the answer. They both flinched at the name before nodding sullenly.   
  
"But we were already in the Order, so of course we didn't join, never. Well, except for, you're aunt, she became good friends with Lucius." Kagome's grandfather continued coldly, "You're aunt, Naoko Higurashi, betrayed us, we were never on bad terms with the Malfoys but she told Lucius why we weren't going to follow Vol-You-Know-Who. That was around the time they found the list of the Order members. They knew that the Potters were in hiding, that we were in the Order, and that you're father had been very good friends with James Potter back during school years. It was the perfect reason for You-Know-Who to come and expose the secret-keeper. They came in the night, and demanded for your father to tell them where the Potters were, when he denied being the secret keeper and refused to tell them who it was, they killed him."   
  
Mrs. Higurashi sniffed loudly from her chair, her tea cup had fallen from her lap and she had her head down.   
  
"Fuhjiko..." Kagome's grandfather wrapped an arm around her, comforting her.   
  
Kagome suddenly became aware of Sota pressed against her side, and she looked down trying to figure out how her shirt had gotten so soggy. She brought her hand to her face, and it was no longer a mystery.   
  
"That, that-Naoko ," Kagome had brought herself to say, "is she, where is she?"   
  
"Dead, I hope," Kagome's grandfather said darkly.   
  
"But, we're okay now, right?" Sota piped up through his tears.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi gave him a sympathetic look before saying gently, "Right now we are, don't worry, Sota." She stood up, "Sota, come with me, I'll tuck you in, and I'll stay with you until you fall asleep." Mrs. Higurashi whispered while drying her eyes, "Kagome, the train leaves at eleven so make sure you're ready by ten, Good night, honey."   
  
Sota ran to his mother and they went upstairs together. Kagome's grandfather heaved a long sigh. "Well, that's not entirely true." He said quietly.   
  
Kagome looked at him sharply, "What isn't true?" Kagome never really took what he had to say seriously, but his solemn expression chilled her.   
  
"About being safe, no one is, he's back."   
  
Kagome stared, fear creeping through her like a terrible chill. "But Voldemort's gone, Harry Potter-"   
  
"Harry Potter. That boy did do something amazing that night, I'll give him that much, but he only delayed Voldemort's rise to power. I've been sensing it for years. The spirits on the Shrine grounds are restless. It irks me." Kagome's grandfather said, looking rather detached and far away. Something big is about to happen Kagome, and I want you to be prepared."   
  
"Prepared for what?" Kagome asked, her voice quavering like a weak guitar string.   
  
"For the worst war this world has yet to see."

* * *

After her conversation with her grandfather Kagome went up to bed, exhausted. She had fallen asleep to the wind through the trees, perhaps that's why her dreams were so bizarre that night.   
  
She was in a dark room, she looked around, but her eyes couldn't see through it. She turned around and saw a small port hole of light. The only light shining in front of her, like a silver orb. She ran towards it, feet echoing, heart pumping, and her gasping breath. It kept where it was, as if she wasn't moving. And Suddenly it rushed up to greet her, as if drawn to her. It was only a few feet away now. Something pulled at her throat, it wanted out-what? a scream? a cry? She didn't know, 'Just get it away...whatever it is...' The silvery surface rippled, and she stopped dead. Everything faded to black and she heard whispers, all chanting:   
  
Beware, dear child, for what comes this way,   
  
Is something with ambitious desire   
  
Destruction and murder for whoever lay,   
  
In the path of the Dark Lord returned to power.   
  
None are safe who oppose his force,   
  
He shall rise again like the darkest tower.   
  
The brave are first to stand and fight,   
  
The innocent are first to die and fall.   
  
And the weak live only to see a sight,   
  
Of fear and havoc wreaked upon all.   
  
Remember this dream for if you do not   
  
We will lose this chance and be left to rot.   
  
Remember the word that was said long ago:   
  
We are as strong as we're united.   
  
As weak as we are divided...   
  
Kagome woke up sweating, cold and wet. She fell back against her damp pillow and slept on. When dawn filled her room the next morning, she had no recollection of the dream, whatsoever.

* * *

Kagome had lain in bed nearly twenty minutes, she could feel her stomach writhing and everytime she glanced at her packed suit case, a stab of fear jolted through her.   
  
'I need to get up, I'm going to miss the train, but I don't want to leave my bed quite yet...' Kagome pulled herself up and looked around the room. 'This is the last time I'll be in my own bed. I won't be back for a long time,' she thought sadly, 'And Inuyasha and the others...' An unexpected wave of guilt washed over her. She wiped her face with her hand before pulling herself up to stand. 'We're leaving at ten so let's see, that gives me...forty minutes to get ready.' Kagome slapped her hands together confidently before she grabbed her luggage and left the room. She did not notice the small letter jammed in the frame of her window.   
  
The cool shower had helped her relax, and as she began blow drying her hair, she found herself becoming just as excited as she was nervous. Then suddenly a loud beeping rang shrill through the house and shouts could be heard downstairs.   
  
"What in the world is going on down there!" Kagome exclaimed before switching off the blow dryer and, wrapping a bathrobe securely around her, dashed downstairs. The smell of smoke filled her nose, thick like a wool blanket.   
  
"Urggh!" Was all she managed to choke out before covering her face. Baffled, Kagome followed the billowing cloud into the kitchen where she found her grandfather wearing her mother's pink-flowered apron. He was frantically smothering tall flames that had erupted inside a pan full of what must've been breakfast. Kagome winced at the burnt marks covering the table and, oddly, the walls.   
  
"Uhh, Grandpa? What, what are you doing?" Kagome asked carefully, dreading the answer.   
  
Kagome's grandfather looked up, and instantly broke into a large, warm smile.   
  
"Kagome! I made you breakfast since you're leaving today for school. Look, I made your favorite: toast and those little ramen cups you're always taking with you!" Kagome's grandfather said proudly while indicating to a bowl of putrid looking water containing chunks of mystery meat, (was that hot dog?), while shriveled noodles bobbed on the surface. Kagome's face paled as she took a look at the toast, or, it might've once been toast. As of right now, it was pure, steaming, carbon.   
  
Kagome was just about to ask if she would get food poisoning from eating her grandfather's cooking, when her mother slid the shojo back and gave her a meaningful look. Kagome inwardly groaned.   
  
"Uhh, thanks gramps, it uh, looks absolutely...appetizing!" Kagome said, putting on her best fake smile.   
  
Kagome's grandfather beamed.   
  
"Of course, I added a few things, ancient Higurashi recipe, Kagome. One day I shall pass it on to you and Sota." He said mysteriously.   
  
Kagome and her mother sweat-dropped at this.   
  
"What a shame that Kagome won't have time to eat your excellent cooking, Grandpa. I'm really sorry but if she's late she'll miss her train." Mrs. Higurashi said apollogetically.   
  
"Oh my, you're right! Out, Kagome, go get ready!" Her Grandpa commanded, while shooing her out of the kitchen. Kagome didn't have to be told twice, she was out of the there in a heart beat.   
  
She opened the door to her room, now thinking of what to wear.   
  
"Ugh! It still smells!" she exclaimed. Her room was hazy with the smell of "Higurashi's secret recipe."   
  
She looked at her clock, it was 9:30. 'We're leaving in half an hour...' She chided herself. She walked swiftly to her bedroom window and threw it open, something white caught the corner of her eye, but when she glanced back there was nothing.   
  
"Ahhhh, she sighed as the smell was quickly diluted by a light breeze that ruffled her hair. Kagome strode over to her closet and pulled it open.   
  
"Okay, now what am I going to wear...let's see..." Kagome had torn into her bags of new clothes that hadn't been packed yet. "No...hmm...ehh, not for today.....nooo...ugh, did I really buy this??"   
  
Kagome finally found what she was looking for: A short, dark jean skirt and a light blue sleeveless shirt. Hurriedly, she threw them on and stepped into a pair of white sneakers. Checking her reflection in the mirror she smoothed her hair, grabbed a sweater and ran out of the room. The kitchen clock on the wall told her it was nearly ten thirty.   
  
"Ten Thirty!" Kagome exploded, "Mom! We have to go!" Kagome dragged her luggage into the living room and looked up just in time to see a mahogany mantle and slate fireplace appear in front of her. Kagome whirled around to see her mother waving her wand.   
  
"All ready? Kagome, you go first, and don't worry about your luggage, I'll take care of that."   
  
Kagome grabbed herself some Floo Powder and stepped inside the fireplace, wishing that they could've just taken a plane.   
  
Kagome was very surprised when she stepped casually out of the fireplace, not a scratch on her. She expected to be chucked violently out, but she didn't mind the change all that much.   
  
'Wait a minute, we're in the middle of a train station, how would there be a fireplace here?' Kagome whirled around, expecting to see a fireplace or a heater at the most, but was most shocked when she came face to face with a very solid stone wall. Though, the stone wall looked suspiciously older than the surrounding concrete.   
  
'How is it no one saw me appear? The muggles...can't see it, can they?' And sure enough people passing by didn't look twice at the wall nor at her.   
  
"Weird..." Kagome whispered.   
  
"Alright, here we are, now we need to get to platform nine and three quarters." Mrs. Higurashi had appeared beside her daughter. "Follow me, Kagome."   
  
Kagome did so. Glancing around, she occasionally caught sight of a boy or girl pushing a cart carrying a trunk and owl.   
  
'An owl...I should get one...' Kagome thought.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi stopped in front of the wall seperating platforms nine and ten.   
  
"Kagome, what you have to do to get to platform nine and three quarters is to walk straight at the wall." Mrs. Higurashi explained. "It's a secret way to get to the Hogwarts Express, are you ready?"   
  
Kagome nodded, now that she was starting to understand the wizarding world, it almost seemed perfectly normal, almost.   
  
Kagome readied her trolley and began to walk swiftly at the wall. 'Please work...please...' Kagome begged. She shut her eyes and when she opened them, she found herself gazing at a shiny maroonsteam engine.   
  
"The Hogwarts Express..." Kagome murmured to herself as she read the neat lettering on the side of the train.   
  
Kagome's mother stepped out of the wall behind her, "Ready?" Was all she said.   
  
"Ready as I'll ever be." Kagome replied uncertainly.   
  
After her luggage was loaded onto the train, she turned back to her mother, who had bright eyes, shining with pride.   
  
"Kagome, I know you'll do fine this year. So don't worry too much, about us-or Inuyasha." Kagome smiled at this. "You can write to us, stay in touch, just use a school owl to send letters, alright?"   
  
"Alright, Mom." Kagome answered. Mrs. Higurashi pulled her into a tight hug, she let go only when the whistle sounded.   
  
"Bye, Mom!" Kagome called as she boarded the train.   
  
Through the windows she could see her mother waving from the platform, until the train billowed out steam, and Mrs. Higurashi's figure faded from view.   
  
Kagome looked up the corridor, trying to find an empty compartment proved very difficult.   
  
'Where am I going to sit? I wonder if that boy is somewhere around...' Kagome found herself wondering.   
  
"Kyyyaaaa!!!" The train gave a lurch as it began take a turn, Kagome stumbled and flew backwards. She collided with a compartment door, it gave way, and she flew inside to the floor.   
  
"Itaaiii..." Kagome mumbled, she was laying flat on the floor. She rolled over on her back before sitting up. She gingerly placed a hand to her head where a golf ball sized lump was forming.   
  
"I found an empty compartment, atleast." Kagome mumbled gruffly.   
  
"Not quite." said a familiar voice next to her.

* * *

Little bit of a cliffy there, but I had to. Sorry ;;   
  
But anyways I want to thank all you guys for reading and I owe you a HUGE apology for being gone so long, and I'm glad to say I know how this fic is gonna go :-D   
  
Do you like my lil poem? hehe, I'm no Robert Frost, but hey, I try ;;   
  
But anyways here's thanks to all my reviewers:   
  
Katsumi-Leostar, I'm glad you liked it! :); Moonyasha, thanks for the suggestion, I'm not sure what I am going to do with Inu yet... ;) but I'm thinking around same the lines you are, thanks!; Silverbluenchantress, updated and more chapters on the way, don't worry!; H A 619, as always glad that you enjoyed the story!; Whatasungoddess, have a lil faith! lol, I'm going to finish this, It's on my very long to-do list ;;; lol; Ruth 4 kai, thanks for the review and I'm very glad you liked it :-); Killiara, my very first reviewer sniff lol, I'm very happy you're enjoying the story and I'm gonna have the summer to continue working on it   
  
Comments, ideas, flames cringe, or suggestions go ahead and send 'em! :-)   
  
Well till next time which will be much sooner, I expect, happy reading!   
  
-:- Mikairi -:-


	5. Most Noble and Ancient House of Gryffind...

Chapter 5...Hogwarts   
  
By: Mikairi   
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and InuYasha do NOT belong to me. I'm not making any profit from this fanfiction...sadly... :-P   
  
.....................................................................................................................  
  
Kagome whirled her head around, startled by the voice. She came face to face with a pale, blonde-haired boy. It was Draco Malfoy, the boy she had met in Diagon Alley. He was staring at her from his seat next to the window with an eye brow raised. Obviously thinking she was a complete klutz for her ridiculous entrance.   
  
"You could've just knocked." He drawled, the corners of his lips curling in a sly smile.   
  
A rush of anger filled her, how DARE he talk to her! Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy. It was Draco's father who helped kill her own father. And why shouldn't she be angry? She had the right to, after all, like her grandfather said, it runs in their blood... The whole family's rotten to the core. Kagome was furious...at Draco... Who was still staring at her, as if waiting for an explanation for her presence.   
  
Pure blood gone bad... now where had she heard of that before? Oh yes, she knew. She knew from past experiences...literally, about 400 hundred years in the past experiences... In her heart, whether she wanted to admit it, she knew that blood had little to do with someone's personality. Kagome turned her head away from him. She was torn, completely.   
  
Torn, because hating Draco Malfoy would go against almost everything she believed in. She had always believed that people-and demons alike-were all different and that blood didn't make any difference. Hating Draco Malfoy for his father's actions-('Betraying my father!' she reminded herself.) would be like hating Inuyasha for his brother's (Sesshoumaru's) actions. It didn't make sense.('It does make sense!' Kagome tried to convince herself.) Not that she planned to warm right up to him, no possible way.   
  
'But hate...It's such a strong and dangerous emotion, like anger, it can compel people to go to such extremes, they become black-hearted and lost in their own misery...' Kagome thought, an image of Kikyou appearing in her mind's eye. 'I don't want to become like that, so full of hate towards one person...It will only end badly...'   
  
Kagome focused her attention at the blurred scenery, she was still sitting on the floor. This would take some serious thought.   
  
'I was the one who offered to start over... But still...What if he's just like his father? What if he ends up hurting me or my family...' Kagome's mind just kept kicking up ideas and after a while a dull ache had settled in her temple. 'Perhaps, perhaps he doesn't know what his father did? If Draco did know, surely he wouldn't be talking to me.'   
  
"Why don't you get up off the floor, you didn't hurt yourself after that spectacular ballet, did you?" Draco asked sarcastically, but he was smiling, a cocky little smile.   
  
"I'm fine." Kagome muttered. Well, that wasn't all true. Now that she was recovering from her shock she discovered that the lump on her head was walnut sized, and that she had twisted her wrist upon falling. She remained quiet, it was too awkward. She still wasn't sure how she was going to treat him.   
  
She returned her gaze back to the blurred green hills and pale blue sky. 'It won't be blue for long...' she thought, when she caught sight of the dark clouds creeping in from the west. She was snapped back to reality when she saw a hand extended to her. She looked up, Draco had his hand out waiting impatiently for her to grab hold. Kagome looked at it, then back up to Draco.   
  
'It's crazy but, even though, his father......I just can't blame him...not now. I don't have a reason to be mad at him, logically, at least. Every time I think about blaming Draco for what happened...I think of Inuyasha. I won't judge him. I'll get to know him for myself, there's just something...different... If he turns out to be like his father, then, I won't feel guilty for being angry at him...' Kagome shakily grasped his hand and he pulled her to her feet. 'I guess I'll find out now...'   
  
She managed a weak smile, "Thank you."   
  
Draco shrugged and sat back down across from her.   
  
Kagome straitened her shirt and smoothed her skirt, choosing the seat opposite, and sitting down carefully, trying to make up for her tumble earlier.   
  
Draco was staring out the window looking very bored and rather surly, or maybe he always looked like that? Kagome wondered, he seemed to have a very indifferent attitude...   
  
"I'm guessing you, at the very least, know the Hogwart's Houses by now?" Draco quarried, a glint of amusement shining in his eyes. "Of course, the only real House worth getting into is Slytherin, but I'm sure by now you've heard how "horrible" and "evil" Slytherins are."   
  
Kagome turned her face away from the glittering river they were just passing to stare at him, he had caught her attention. Maybe he would tell her about the other houses, she didn't really know much about them, except for Slytherin...sort of. Recalling her conversation with her grandfather about Slytherin House, was it really that bad? What was he getting at?   
  
Draco's face was now scowling and the amusement had died away. "Then there are those Hufflepuffs; pathetic little jellyfish," he said viciously, "and not the brightest lot you'll ever meet either." He added as an after thought. "Then you have the Ravenclaws, with their perfect grades, they're the "extraordinarily smart ones", and they won't ever let you forget it."   
  
Draco's dislike for the other houses was quite apparent, 'Why does he hate them all so?' Kagome wondered, starting to feel very anxious about arriving at Hogwarts now.   
  
"Gryffindor House," He said scrunching up his face in disgust, "The most stuck up of the lot. They strut the halls thinking they're the greatest things since self-stirring cauldrons. You see, they're known for their "bravery," but I doubt they could last less than a day in Slytherin House." Draco scoffed.   
  
"Why do you say that?" Kagome asked. Draco made Slytherin sound like the only half-decent group of people at Hogwarts School. But from what she had heard about it, she had her doubts.   
  
"Slytherins," Draco began proudly, "are known for their cunning and all, well, most of us, are very ambitious. Besides, it takes a different kind of bravery to be a Slytherin..." Draco said this part rather more to himself than to her, but he quickly recovered and continued, " Some call us "power hungry," but they're the same way aren't they? I've seen it happen loads of times, look at the Ministry of Magic...complete hypocrites." Draco sneered. "Father always said that..."   
  
But Kagome didn't know what Draco's father "always said" because she found herself so furious at the mention of Lucius she was no longer paying any attention to Draco.   
  
Kagome snapped back to reality when she realized that Draco was waving his hand in front of her face. "Oh! Sorry, what were you saying?"   
  
Draco rolled his eyes and flopped back against his cushioned seat. "Honestly, Higurashi, please don't do that again, just now you horribly resembled Goyle, that git."   
  
"Who?"   
  
"Never mind, he's a sixth year, too. I'm sure you'll have the--pleasure--of meeting him later, once we get there," Draco explained, "whether you get sorted into Slytherin or not, we'll probably have a double class together."   
  
Kagome nodded, trying to get an idea of Hogwarts in her head, which right now, was a very jumbled and double-sided image.   
  
Draco suddenly stood up and stretched, "You'll want to get sorted into Slytherin, remember that, Higurashi. But I have to go find Crabbe and Goyle, it's getting late," he said glancing at the late morning sun, "and I thought they would've turned up by now." He slid back the compartment door, "Those two," he added rather disgustedly, "wouldn't remember their own names if they weren't constantly reminded every day."   
  
Kagome smiled faintly.   
  
Draco grinned at her, "I suppose I'll see you in the Great Hall if not sooner." He said before sliding the compartment door closed behind him.   
  
She let out a long sigh. Well, she had suspicions that he might possibly be a good person, but besides his sarcastic sense of humor, she had yet to see it. 'I'm not going to speak out until I get to Hogwarts and get "sorted," then I'll no where I stand in the school. I seriously doubt Malfoy would ever speak to me again if I'm sorted into Gryffindor." Kagome was suspicious that she just might be sorted into Hufflepuff, she thought about her grades at school and grimaced.   
  
.......................................................................................................  
  
"Hermione, I swear, that cat is, its, its--"   
  
"--Beautiful? Smart? Wonderful?" A girl with thick, brown curls cooed.   
  
"A nightmare." The red-headed boy across from her spat out dryly. He was clutching a rather nasty scratch above is left eye, and was sporting a surly scowl.   
  
"Hmmph! Oh, honestly, Ronald, Crookshanks barely scratched you!" The girl shot back defensively while cuddling the said "nightmare."   
  
"Ba-barely, BARELY scratched me?!! ARE YOU BLIND?! He tried to gouge my eye out! AND he nearly got away with it!" The boy sputtered furiously, while revealing the bloody cut as proof of the assault.   
  
Emotions were running high in compartment number thirty-two. Mostly between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger who were once again arguing over the cat who had nearly cost them their friendship back in third year. Crookshanks, on the other hand, was sitting lazily in Hermione's lap, licking his paw and occasionally sending unblinking glares in Ron's direction.   
  
Ron looked as if he was ablaze with his brilliant red hair, face, and ears. Hermione, looking much more cooler, but just as annoyed, glared back at him.   
  
"Will you two give it a REST?!"   
  
They tore their gaze from each other to stare surprised at the exasperated boy sitting next to Ron. Harry had been quiet the whole train ride thus far, listening to the banter of his two best friends, who had been bickering for an hour now. But enough was enough.   
  
"Hermione, apologize to Ron for what Crookshanks did to his eye." Hermione bristled at this before apologizing quietly.   
  
"Ron, apologize to Hermione for yelling at her and Crookshanks." Ron opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and closed it.   
  
"Sorry." Ron said grudgingly.   
  
The compartment had now settled into a very strained and awkward silence. It was obvious that Ron and Hermione were both still angry at each other, and that they had only apologized for Harry's sake. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out Cho's necklace which glittered in the sunlight, Harry looked up at the sky to see that storm clouds had rolled over the sun. 'Odd...' He thought, the little bead was still shining brightly. 'Whatever it is, it belongs to Cho, I should go find her...' Harry was relieved to have an excuse to leave. He stood up before announcing, "I'm going to find Cho, she dropped her necklace when I, err, saw her in Diagon Alley." Harry finished lamely, trying to ignore the smirk growing on Ron's face.   
  
"Good luck with that, mate." Ron said before muttering, "We know you'll need it." Ron sniggered as he dodged a playful blow from Harry. Hermione looked up from her book, with an annoyed expression.   
  
"He'll be just fine, I'm sure," she said smiling at Harry.   
  
"Oy, what are you reading now?" Ron asked reaching for the thick, old book Hermione had her face hidden behind.   
  
Hermione pulled it out of his reach before answering in a cool tone, "Magical Mysteries of the Ancient and Modern World." she added, "It's absolutely fascinating."   
  
Ron snorted at this, earning himself another dirty look from Hermione.   
  
Harry, noticing the warning signs of yet another argument, stepped out into the corridor and slid the door shut behind him.   
  
Cho Chang was a sixth year and he wasn't entirely all too sure where he could find her. He knew that she was good friends with Marietta Edgecombe, Harry scowled thinking about her. She was the one who had sold out the D.A. to Umbridge last year. Harry was hoping he wouldn't run into her, when he accidentally did walk right into someone. Luckily it wasn't Marietta, unfortunately it was Malfoy.   
  
"Watch where you're going, Potter." Malfoy sneered, his face twisted in resentment at the sight of Harry.   
  
"Shut up, Malfoy, I don't have time to deal with you." Harry bit back, although he was just itching for a good reason to pop Malfoy one these days...   
  
Harry made to move past him, but Malfoy stepped in his way.   
  
"Move." Harry gritted out, trying to keep his breathing even. Malfoy was grinning wickedly, as if Christmas had come early...   
  
Malfoy smirked, "In the way am I, Potter? Draco Malfoy, stopping the brave and gallant Boy-Who-Lived? I didn't think it was possible..."   
  
Harry glared at him with cold dislike, he pulled his wand out of his pocket and pointed it straight at Malfoy's head.   
  
Draco's smile dissolved and his face paled at the same time. It seemed he had remembered that Crabbe and Goyle were not around, and he was alone. And unarmed.   
  
Malfoy quickly stepped to the side, but not before hissing out as Harry passed, "Haven't read the papers lately have you? You're days are numbered, Potter, just you wait until my father-"   
  
"Until you're father WHAT!" Harry bellowed, his wand still raised. A couple compartment doors had slid open and curious heads were gazing intently at the brewing fight. Harry glanced backwards at them and lowered his wand.   
  
Draco was smirking again, "This year will be very interesting, Potter." He drawled before turning around on his heel and stalking down the corridor, glaring at the curious onlookers as he passed.   
  
Harry stuffed his wand back into his robes. He looked up the corridor and spotted a sheet of black, shining hair, it was Cho, and she was leaning out of the doorway talking to none other than Marietta, in the compartment across from her.   
  
Harry decided he would wait another time to give Cho her necklace back. He took a step backwards and stumbled into the candy trolley, he tried turning around but instead was jolted by some invisible force. The candy trolley tipped precariously towards him, before it finally fell, pushing Harry to the ground and dumping all its contents on him; including a number of pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs and to his aggravation, several glasses of pumpkin juice and pudding. Harry looked up past the little, old witch who was apologizing profusely, to see Draco Malfoy reunited with his gang. They were rolling on the floor laughing. Malfoy held his wand up in mock salute to him.   
  
Harry glanced back nervously to see Cho gazing right at him, or was she looking at him? He looked behind him but, no, only Malfoy was there, and that wasn't much to look at by any terms, Harry thought.   
  
He quickly jumped to his feet, the little witch had gotten the cart off him, and he dodged into the nearest compartment, hoping he would find Ginny and Neville inside. He slammed the door and cursed under his breath. Why was it every time he saw Cho, he made a fool out of himself? "Malfoy." Harry snarled. Oh yes, he would pay for that one.   
  
"Why hello, Harry." Harry jumped at the sound of Luna Lovegood's floaty voice. She was sitting comfortably with a magazine-The Quibbler no doubt-in her hands and her wand was stuck in her hair holding her wavy blonde hair in a loose bun. "Did you know you have a bit of cream on your shirt?" She questioned him with a serious look on her face, "It might be a good idea to get that off fast, you might attract some kidney-eating Nympheralls."   
  
Harry smiled faintly, and glanced down at his shirt. He realized that "a bit of cream" was an understatement. He as if he had taken a dip in a pool of it.   
  
"Scourgify." He muttered pointing his wand at himself. Harry looked back up to see Luna inspecting the spine of her magazine. He glanced to the adjacent seat and was surprised to see a person laying down across it asleep.   
  
"I found her there when I walked in, there were no other empty compartments you see." Luna said simply not looking up from her magazine.   
  
The sleeping girl had a mass of black, shiny hair and her face was hidden in her arms as she was laying on her stomach.   
  
"When did you come in here?" Harry asked.   
  
Although Luna Lovegood was extremely eccentric, Harry had discovered a valuable friendship in her. So far she was the only one who he had talked about Sirius's death to, although, he didn't want to think about that now...   
  
"Oh, only just a few moments before you walked in. I saw someone knock over the trolley, it was very tragic, did you happen to see who it was?" Luna asked with concern evident on her face.   
  
Harry just stared back at her. "Neville." He finally said, although she didn't seem to catch the sarcasm in his voice.   
  
"Luna, I'll talk to you later," Harry said over his shoulder, sliding the door open. He felt kind of bad for her. She didn't seem to have a whole lot of friends, she was sitting by herself, sort of... "Ron and Hermione are in compartment thirty-two if you want to go sit with them," Harry offered.   
  
"All right, maybe when she," she nodded at the unconscious girl, "wakes up, I don't want to leave her by herself." Luna said in her sing-song voice.   
  
Harry shut the door behind him and reached his hand into his pocket, he was going to give Cho her necklace back before anything else happened. He took a deep breath, took several steps down the corridor, and stopped. Cho's necklace was gone.   
  
......................................................................................  
  
Kagome looked up, it was so dark she couldn't see her own hands. She whirled around, and was startled at the loud splash her shoes made. Splash? The silence pressed on her head and ears. She bent down, trying to feel what she was standing on, she jerked her hand up when she felt water, smooth as glass, beneath her feet. It was as if the ground was covered in an inch of water but, no. There was, what seemed, an entire lake beneath her. A small glow was rising from its dark depths. Kagome gazed intently until she was able to see her silhouette, then her eyes, then-she jerked in surprised and fell on her back.   
  
Breathing hard and fast, she felt her hair fanning out around her head. She hadn't seen her reflection, it wasn't her eyes that were staring back at her; the eyes she had seen were smoldering.   
  
She tilted her head to the side, feeling the cold water trace the outline of her cheek. And suddenly, like a blast, light erupted from beneath her. She pulled her arms over her face, and heard a cold low voice right against her ear. It whispered deathly calm, "Only one of us shall have this kind of power, Kagome..."   
  
Kagome screamed outloud as the water came to life and sucked her under, many hands grasping at her ankles. All she could feel was the sharp cold, and the bubbles erupting from her mouth...   
  
...............................................................................................................  
  
Luna looked up as the girl across from her shot up and toppled off the train seat.   
  
"Oh good you're awake," Luna said completely ignoring the girl's spastic actions, "You should get changed, you know, we're almost at Hogwarts. Oh, who are you by the way?"   
  
"Higurashi, Kagome." Kagome said without thinking. She was shaking but she didn't know why. She remembered talking to Draco, then he had left and she had tried to sleep... But who was this girl?   
  
"Umm, who, who are you?" Kagome asked trying to sound polite and normal at the same time. Although she needn't have worried about seeming normal-this was Luna Lovegood she was talking to, but Kagome didn't know that...yet.   
  
"Luna Lovegood, although people call me "Loony." I'm actually not sure why, I don't ask them to call me that..." Luna replied wistfully.   
  
Kagome smiled politely, "Really? I don't know why either."   
  
.............................................................................................................................  
  
The Hogwarts Express slowed into the station billowing puffs of steam that mixed and swirled through the torrential rain. A bolt of lightning streaked the sky, and was followed by a rumbling clap of thunder.   
  
Kagome had on her black school robes and was now weaving in and out of the crowded corridors. She managed to squeeze past a large Gryffindor girl and nearly tripped over a boy who had tripped himself, taking down six others with him. She was both excited and anxious and she felt like she had something more like Naraku's tentacles banging around in her stomach, rather than a few "butterflies."   
  
She had noticed that she was receiving a lot of curious stares from people, 'Do I really stand out that much?' She wondered nervously. "Where am I supposed to go?" she said out loud to herself. But it was useless as the doors were heaved open and students flocked from the cars dragging her along with them. Kagome fought until she pulled herself from the crowd. It was pouring out, making it very difficult to see. But she saw something that made her jaw drop.   
  
It was a giant, wait, that was a man? Whatever it-he was, he was directing "first year" students down a steep path. Kagome watched as the older students all trampled into carriages, being pulled by horrible demonic horses. A chill ran up her spine as she noticed their black, scaly heads and pure white eyes. She tore her gaze from them and fought her way over to the giant-man.   
  
"Umm, Excuse me, excuse me, sir!" Kagome shouted as the rain beat against her face.   
  
The giant turned around slowly and squinted down at her, "Yes, what can I do fer ya?" His voice boomed easily through the wind.   
  
"Im, I'm new here, and I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go! Can you help me please?" She shouted as politely as she could.   
  
"'Course, I can help ye, transfer student, eh?" He said jovially, "Bes' follow me and the firs' years, this way now, mind yer step there." He ushered her after a group of small boys.   
  
Kagome hopped carefully down the path, her time wandering and climbing through ancient Japan aiding her in the downhill struggle. They turned a steep corner and Kagome found herself gazing at a massive stone castle like she had never seen before. Towers and turrets of stone rose high into the sky, each window glittering as if encrusted with jewels. Through the thick rain it appeared rather blurry, giving it a sense of mystery and magic. 'That's why I'm here, it's supposed to feel magical.' Kagome reasoned.   
  
Ever since she had arrived she had sensed a strong energy, at first she had thought demons, but now she had realized it was magic. The Hogwarts Grounds were thick with magical energy, it prickled the back of her neck, making her hair stand on end. She could also see what looked like a barrier, it stretched over the castle, forest, and what looked like all of Hogwart's grounds. She had walked right through it, completely unharmed. It was like passing through a soft velvet curtain, rippling slightly as she disturbed it. Kagome stopped in time before colliding into the boys in front of her. They were facing a dark lake with many little boats bobbing on the turbulent white caps. Just beyond was Hogwarts castle, a welcoming beacon through the storm.   
  
"Alrigh,' look out now, mind yer step, bunch up there would ya?" The giant-man called as he cleared a path through the clustered group of children. "Now, two per boat," He jerked his thumb at the many little boats that bobbed on the turbulent white caps, "I don' want any pushin."   
  
The boats began to fill slowly and Kagome crossed her arms, trying to keep warm. Kagome found a boat to herself and sat shivering, wiping the water from her face. 'Water?' Kagome thought to herself as she tried to dry her hands off on her sopping robes. 'Why did I just get this feeling, like dejavou?'   
  
Her boat rocked as someone clambered in and knocked against her side. She looked up and saw a small boy with wet, brown hair matted to his head. He was shivering and little puffs of steam escaped his mouth as he tried to warm his hands. He looked up at her and his eyes widened in surprise. He quickly scuttled over on the bench so that he was no longer squishing into her. Kagome smiled at his shyness and looked ahead just before she was jerked backwards. The little fleet of boats were now sailing towards the castle at a surprising speed, considering no one was rowing them and no motors could be seen. Kagome concentrated on keeping warm and keeping her nerves in check.   
  
She couldn't help but notice as they sailed over the lake that the shivering boy next to her kept gradually sliding closer to her. She smothered the smile that was forming as he pressed against her shoulder, as if the rough waves had knocked him that way. 'He seems really shy, I guess he must be really cold." Kagome contemplated as he huddled against her.   
  
The boy almost went sailing over the edge a few times if Kagome hadn't grabbed hold of his robes. The boats approached the cliff and they all ducked as they passed under a tangle of ivy and into a large, dark tunnel. It was much calmer inside the tunnel, and Kagome managed to smooth her tangled hair from her face.   
  
The fleet of boats abruptly stopped with a thud against the pebbles and rock shore. Kagome clambered out, helping the boy up as he had toppled out in his excitement. They climbed up several narrow steps coming out onto the grounds, where they were again bombarded by harsh winds and rain. Hagrid lead them up the flattened, wet grass to the castle's front door. He knocked three times and stood back where they waited in frozen silence.   
  
...............................................................................................................  
  
"All right, all right enough, Ginny. So you went and tried to give her necklace back- Ginny shut up!" Ron barked at his sister who was in fits of laughter next to Hermione. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be ignoring everything around her as she was still hidden behind her book.   
  
Harry looked gloomily out of his carriage window, it rattled and shook as the thestral pulling it trotted up the bumpy path. He sighed, "It was a complete disaster."   
  
"Don't worry, we'll get Malfoy back for this one, you see-" Ron dropped his voice and leaned toward Harry, "I've been talking to Fred and George, and they've got a right idea for that nasty git. They say they have something in development. That it could rival last year's fireworks display." Ron sat back grinning wickedly, and Harry couldn't help but feel better knowing Malfoy's fate was resting in the Weasley Twin's hands...   
  
Ron turned to his window, "Oy, look at them down there, almost feel bad for them." He said, pointing to the boats sailing through the storm. Ron waved cheekily out the window.   
  
"Leave the first years alone, Ron." Hermione sighed, as she leaned over the front of her book. "Hagrid's out there, remember?"   
  
"Oh, right." Ron muttered his ears turning a light shade of pink.   
  
"Ginny do you have a quill on you? I nearly forgot..." Hermione asked while rummaging in her pocket and pulling out a slightly crumpled and water-stained letter.   
  
"Sorry, they're packed away in my trunk, what do you need it for?" Ginny asked still searching her robes for one.   
  
Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm and pulled her head close so she could whisper. Ginny pulled away giggling, Hermione blushed furiously and mouthed something to her, which set Ginny off in more squealing giggles. Harry glanced away from his window, and Ron eyed them both suspiciously.   
  
"Why do you need a quill?" Ron demanded loudly. But his question remained unanswered as the carriage had pulled to a stop and the doors flew open.   
  
......................................................................................................  
  
Kagome stood shivering in the cramped little room, waiting. The first year students were whispering to one another and wringing out their robes and hats. A teacher named Professor McGonagall, (who's name Kagome found very difficult to pronounce), had led them through part of the castle and told them to wait for the "Sorting Ceremony" to begin.   
  
'What is the Sorting Ceremony? Some kind of test? What if I don't pass it? Oh no, maybe it will be like that horrible algebra test...when I had no clue what I was doing..." Kagome frowned in worry. She turned to her left and saw a small girl with curly, blonde hair. She had her arms crossed and was standing by herself, her teeth were chattering giving her the appearance of a drowned bunny rabbit. "Umm, excuse me," Kagome said while tapping her on the shoulder, "do you know what the Sorting Ceremony is?"   
  
The girl shook her head silently, stepping back, wide-eyed.   
  
Kagome smiled at her before turning away, there must be someone who knows...   
  
"My older brother told me all about it."   
  
Kagome whirled around, where had she heard that voice before? She saw the same group of boys that she had nearly knocked over on the path. They were grouped around one boy in particular, he was leaning casually against the stone wall.   
  
Kagome walked closer to the boys and listened in, trying to be discreet about it.   
  
"My older brother," the voice drawled, "said that all you had to do was put on a silly hat. Nothing very spectacular about it, but what can you expect from this school."   
  
The boy speaking had dark brown hair, and stone gray eyes. His pale white skin gave him an ethereal glow, and his smirk reminded her of someone...   
  
'That's...Draco's little brother? I didn't know he had a brother...' Kagome wondered. The boy was definitely a relation to the Malfoys, although he lacked Draco's fair, blonde hair.   
  
"I'm probably going to be sorted into Slytherin, after all, the Malfoys have been in that house for generations. I feel bad for those who get sorted into Hufflepuff-I think I'd transfer, if it were me." The boy said smirking, ignoring the glares he was getting from the many of the other first years. Although, the boys around him and some others were sniggering.   
  
The door opened and Professor McGonagall strode. "Form a line, now, quickly please." She said briskly, "Excuse me," Professor McGonagall passed the merging line of first years and made her way over to Kagome. "You are the foreign student, Kagome Higurashi?"   
  
Kagome nodded in reply.   
  
"You'll need to be sorted into a house as well, you'll just go up when your name is called." She moved back to the door, "Now, all of you, follow me."   
  
Kagome followed the train of first years out of the chamber, down the hall, and into the Great Hall. Kagome looked around in awe. The room was alit by thousands of floating candles and under which were four long tables, where the whole school sat. Whispers echoed through the hall as they walked past, and Kagome couldn't help but notice the stares she was receiving from most of the student body. Kagome caught a glimpse of a sheer, blonde head, she looked away quickly. She was sure it was Draco Malfoy.   
  
.............................................................................................  
  
"Oy, who's that?"   
  
"I don't know, must be new here."   
  
"She's really pretty..."   
  
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, put your eyes back in your head!" Hermione kicked him in the shin under the Gryffindor table.   
  
"Ouch, woman! I was just curious who the new girl was..." Ron said defensively, massaging his leg.   
  
"I know her, I met her in Diagon Alley the other day, her name's Kagome Higurashi. Funny though, I didn't see her on the train." Harry explained craning his head to get a better view of the Sorting.   
  
They sat in silence while the Sorting Hat recited its annual song. The Hall broke out into applause when it had finished. Professor McGonagall then stepped forward with a long scroll of parchment.   
  
"Tamara, Adams!" A girl approached the stool on which the Sorting Hat sat, she sat down and Professor McGonagall placed it on her head. It was a few moments before the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" and the table on the right clapped as Tamara made her way over to sit with them.   
  
It went on like this: "Beudre, William" became a Hufflepuff; "Bernashe, Sarah" became a Ravenclaw; "Demure, Elizabeth" became a Gryffindor; "Francesca, Damaris" became a Slytherin; Henry, Fiona became a Hufflepuff; "Gandy, Alyssa" became a Hufflepuff; until Hermione elbowed Ron and Harry; a mysterious grin on her face.   
  
"Granger, Matilda!" A girl with wet, blonde curls sat down on the stool, the hat fell over her eyes then-"GRYFFINDOR!" Hermione stood up and clapped the loudest as her little sister jogged over to the Gryffindor table.   
  
Ron looked at Hermione in surprise, "You never told me you had a sister!"   
  
"Well, to be perfectly honest I never thought Matilda was going to be a witch and the subject never really came up..."   
  
Ron rolled his eyes before exchanging a look with Harry, who seemed to be just as shocked.   
  
Hermione hugged Matilda, who was pink in the face and smiling.   
  
"Nice to finally meet you." Ron said, while shooting a glare at Hermione and sticking out his hand to shake Matilda's.   
  
Matilda blushed even more so, before timidly shaking Ron's hand in return. She shook Harry's as well, before sitting down and just as "Higurashi, Kagome" was called. Harry, and it seemed the rest of the students, snapped back to attention while craning their necks to watch as she walked up to the stool.   
  
...............................................................................................  
  
Kagome took in a deep, calming breath before sitting down carefully on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head, she was surprised when it slid over her eyes and the rest of the hall vanished. She waited, gripping the sides of the stool tightly.   
  
'Let's see...where should I put you...' Said a small voice, 'Very clever, I can see, talent and power, very rare qualities...and courage- my, there's plenty of that. But which house do you belong?' Hmm...I'd have to say..."GRYFFINDOR!"   
  
The hat was whipped off her head, and Kagome smiled weakly as she walked over to the clapping Gryffindor Table. She looked up and down it for a place to sit before she spotted a familiar face- it was Harry Potter. She strode over to the side of the table. "Mind if I sit here?" She asked, smiling.   
  
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione-Ron was nodding his head fervently and Hermione smiled in agreement.   
  
"Sure." Harry slid over so she could sit down.   
  
Kagome smoothed her robes and watched as the Sorting continued.   
  
"Malfoy, Demetrius." The boy Kagome had suspected of being related to the Malfoys walked forward to the stool.   
  
................................................................................................  
  
"Oh, not another one!" Hermione exclaimed exasperatedly.   
  
"'Demetrius', that's not much better than 'Draco'." Ron said sniggering.   
  
"-I hope he isn't like his brother, otherwise I don't know if I could stand it!" Hermione said savagely.   
  
"-I mean who's naming these kids? Are they picking random letters out of the alphabet and just sticking them together-"   
  
"-Last year was horrible now there's going to be two?! Matilda, make sure you stay away from him, he's pure evil-"   
  
"-I think there should be a law somewhere against horrible, made-up names that no one can pronounce-"   
  
"-And Malfoy is a prefect again this year, too! Of course he's going to go easy on his little brother! Matilda, if he ever takes points from you unfairly just tell me and I will personally-"   
  
"-If my mum named ME Demetrius I'd-"   
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"   
  
"WHAT?!!" Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione in shock. "A Malfoy in Gryffindor?!"   
  
"Yeah, take a look at Malfoy, he looks just like he did that day Hermione popped him one in the face..." Ron said grinning hugely. "Wait till "His Father" hears about this..."   
  
Harry leaned over far enough so that he could see Draco at the Slytherin Table. Malfoy's eyes were wide and his mouth has hanging open; he looked completely dumbstruck. Although Demetrius didn't look much better, his face was screwed up in the most sour look as he plopped down at the farthest end of the Gryffindor table. None of the Gryffindors clapped, they whispered furiously to one another and sent glares in Demetrius's direction.   
  
"But I thought, Draco-Malfoy, told me that everyone in his family was in Slytherin?" Kagome questioned.   
  
"Well, it looks like that's changed." Ron said cheerily.   
  
After "Wolffe, Patricia" was sorted into, "SLYTHERIN!" An old man with a long white beard stood up from his chair.   
  
Kagome leaned over to Harry, "Who's that?"   
  
"Albus Dumbledore, he's the headmaster." Harry explained.   
  
Kagome nodded and straightened up just as he began to speak,   
  
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I have many announcements to announce, but let us first begin with our long awaited feast, Tuck in!"   
  
With those words said, the four tables magically filled with foods of all kinds.   
  
Harry smiled when he heard Kagome gasp, it was her very first time at Hogwarts. He remembered how everything was on his first day; It was the best thing that ever happened to him.   
  
"Cheers!" Ron exclaimed before digging into the steak and kidney pie.   
  
Hermione jerked back as food flew her way. She rolled her eyes before carefully reaching for the plate of potatoes.   
  
Kagome looked at the food hesitantly, it smelled good, in fact it smelled delicious. She just didn't know what most of it was.   
  
"Here, try some, it's good." Harry said handing her the plate. "It's steak and kidney pie."   
  
"Ibt's weely goob bebeeve mye." Ron said thickly through a mouthful of it-.   
  
Kagome decided to try a bit of everything. Amazingly, it didn't take very long for her to load up her plate and clear it. When she finished she placed her fork down and looked around the Great Hall, getting a good look at it. She looked up at the ceiling startled to see storm clouds raging overhead.   
  
"You know it's not really the sky, it's just a spell."   
  
Kagome looked back down, the girl called Hermione had finished eating as well, "I read about it in book once."   
  
"Really? What book?" Kagome asked eagerly.   
  
Hermione smiled, "It's Hogwarts: A History, I'm sure they have it in the library if you want to read it."   
  
"I probably should, considering, I don't know a very much about Hogwarts to be honest." Kagome said sheepishly.   
  
"Oh, don't worry, many people don't know about Hogwarts or the wizarding world until they get their letters. Like me, I'm muggle born, my parents are both dentists. But, I do own a copy of it, if you want I can dig it out of my trunk tomorrow. But you got your letter rather late, didn't you?" Hermione asked curiously.   
  
Kagome's stomach clenched. "Yes, I should have started at Hogwart's years ago, but..." She trailed off not wanting to go into detail about Voldemort and her secret years in hiding.   
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Hermione began, catching the tense expression on her face.   
  
"Don't worry about it," Kagome said smiling weakly back. She looked at Ron and giggled, "How's the barbecue chicken?"   
  
Ron looked up, his chin covered in sauce, "Excellent." He replied before taking another chicken leg from the platter.   
  
"Ron, honestly." Hermione sighed before smacking a napkin to his face, which stuck there.   
  
Harry grinned at their antics. He had just finished eating himself, and he leaned back, yawning and stretching. Suddenly he was feeling extremely tired.   
  
"So when do classes start?" Kagome asked.   
  
"Tomorrow." Harry replied.   
  
Ron groaned.   
  
"Ignore him," Hermione said nodding at Ron, "I'm sure you'll like it, most of the teachers here are very good," She went on, ignoring Ron's snort, "My favorite class is Arithmancy. Do you know what classes you're taking?" She asked eagerly.   
  
"Oh no." Kagome groaned.   
  
Hermione smiled, "We all get our schedules at breakfast tomorrow, you'll probably find out then."   
  
Harry and Ron had gone into a deep discussion about quidditch this year, ("Do you think you've still got that life-time ban from quidditch?"-"I better not that old toad is gone now so...hopefully...")   
  
Hermione was explaining the classes to Kagome and Matilda, (Potions, Arithmancy, Herbology, Muggle Studies, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures...) Kagome had explained all about how much studying she had been doing at her home in Japan for High School entrance exams only to find out it was all a waste. Hermione was in the middle of a story about her third year, involving a time turner, when Dumbledore stood up again and the hall went silent.   
  
"Time travel was such a pain, I gave it up and now I have a normal schedule."   
  
"Sounds like a lot of trouble." Kagome said smiling wryly. 'Of course, I know just how troublesome it can be....'   
  
"Ahem...Just a few more start- of-term notices, and you're free to go," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "First years-and some of the older students-should know that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils."   
  
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term, and for those who have been given a lifetime ban by our previous, Hogwarts High Inquisitor, I am happy to say it has been taken off." Dumbledore's eyes stopped to rest at the Gryffindor Table.   
  
Harry and Ron grinned.   
  
"Looks like your seeker again." Ron said, "That'll wipe the smiles off Slytherin all right."   
  
"What about you, still going to play as keeper?"   
  
Ron's ears went red. "Errm...No I don't think so. I've heard enough choruses of, "Weasley Is our King," to last me a lifetime." He muttered quietly.   
  
"-Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." Dumbledore continued, "And now that all the announcements have been announced and all have been fed and watered, bedtime! Off you go!"   
  
The students all rose lazily from their seats, tired and full. Kagome yawned as she looked from the group of exiting first years to Harry, Ron, and Hermione who were leaving out another door. Harry turned around, spotting her, and waved her over. Kagome gladly followed, nearly stumbling over Demetrius as he stormed after the retreating Gryffindor first years.   
  
As Kagome wound her way through the students she got a glimpse of Draco who was hissing something angrily to many of the other Slytherins. By the look on the other Slytherins faces, they were just as furious as Draco was. They pushed passed her and she was able to catch a glimpse of the conversation.   
  
"He should be ashamed of himself, having to live among those foul mudbloods." A girl with an upturned nose exclaimed shrilly. "I know my father wouldn't hear of it, he'd disown him, if it were his son, and your father- Well, I expect he'll be writing to complain to Dumbledore once he's found out."   
  
Draco looked very disgruntled. "It's none of your business, Pansy. So If I were you I would just stay out of it." He managed to shake the Slytherin girl off, and stepped into place with Crabbe, Goyle, and another brunette boy. The brunette boy muttered something that Kagome could barely hear, she strayed a little ways from Harry to listen.   
  
"I'd be careful if I were you." Kagome watched as Draco looked up sharply, "Demetrius is in Gryffindor and from the rest of the Slytherin's point of view, it doesn't look good.   
  
"What are you going on about, Nott, I'm in Slytherin and he's the one in Gryffindor." Draco drawled trying to sound casual, but Kagome could hear the anxiety in his voice.   
  
"You of all people should realize how this looks for your family, Draco." Nott continued even more quietly, "Imagine the Dark Lord discovering one of his own servant's son, traipsing around Hogwarts with the likes of Mudbloods, muggle-lovers, and Harry Potter."   
  
"Don't be thick. Demetrius is not "traipsing" with any of the likes, he knows better than that." Draco cut in with an edge to his voice.   
  
"Well, we'll see about that won't we? Oh and as for you-" Nott retorted sounding unconvinced.   
  
"What about me." Draco asked darkly his voice dangerously low.   
  
"I'd stay away from that new girl, Higurashi."   
  
Kagome's eyes widened in surprise, she held her breath. They obviously didn't know she was right behind them, listening.   
  
"I know you sat with her on the train, and if you knew what I knew, well you certainly wouldn't want to look at her, never mind sit with her." Nott finished an ominous smirk on his face.   
  
'He knows.' Kagome thought in horror, she felt her insides freeze over, and her heart was pounding in her chest. 'Who else knows? That boy said the "Dark Lord," is he talking about Voldemort? He really is back. That means, I'm not safe anymore- my family isn't safe anymore.' Kagome kept walking, though they were nearing a split hallway, one going down, another going up a flight of stone stairs.   
  
"What are you talking about? I don't know why the Sorting Hat placed her in Slytherin, she's pure blood-"   
  
"It doesn't matter now does it? Your brother and her are Gryffindors and you're a Slytherin, watch the company you keep, Malfoy. Best forget about the both of them." Nott hissed back, before he stalked down the stone stairs.   
  
Kagome stopped and watched as Draco paused, shaking in rage, before he too disappeared down the stairs, scattering a group of second year Hufflepuffs as he went.   
  
"Oy, midgets, this way!"   
  
Kagome looked up the other stairwell to see Ron directing students.   
  
"Ron! They are not midgets! Don't call them that." Hermione scolded from across the hallway and she stalked over to him.   
  
"Hermione they really are, look how little they are-" Ron replied while brandishing an arm at a group of small, frightened looking students.   
  
"Ronald! You're going to scare them! Really." Hermione exclaimed as she pulled him away from the students, who were eyeing them both nervously. Hermione glanced back and noticed Kagome standing indecisively at the split hallway. "Kagome, Gryffindor Tower is this way!"   
  
Kagome smiled gratefully and followed them up flights of stairs, hidden passageways, and concealed doors, until they reached a portrait. Kagome looked at it in awe. The woman in the portrait was extremely fat and wearing a pink, satin gown. The surprising thing about the picture was that the woman kept smoothing the folds in her dress and looked at the group of Gryffindors expectantly before she actually spoke, "Well, the password?"   
  
"Sluos Foror Rim" Hermione piped up from the back. She blushed as some of the others looked questioningly back at her.   
  
"Slous for-what??" Ron questioned.   
  
"Well, I read it in my book, you see." Hermione muttered still rather pink.   
  
"Oh no..." A rather pudgy boy muttered despairingly.   
  
"Should of known." Ron said rolling his eyes and exchanging looks with Harry, who too was wondering how he was going to remember the new password.   
  
"Cheer up, Neville I doubt any of us besides Hermione will remember that one." Harry said as he scrambled through the hole the Fat Lady had revealed.   
  
Kagome climbed in after Harry, and glanced around the circular room. It was very inviting, especially the large squashy couch perched right in front of the roaring fire...   
  
"The Girl's Dormitories are up this stair case," Hermione explained to her through a stifled yawn. "How old are you?"   
  
"Sixteen, just this summer, why?" Kagome asked puzzled.   
  
Hermione smiled, "Then that means you're going to be in sixth year. Harry, Ron, and I are too. We'll be sharing a dormitory together. With Lavender and Parvati also, they're nice except," Hermione frowned slightly, "they can be...rather, interfering and a bit annoying, but I'm sure they think the same about me." She smiled wryly.   
  
Kagome smiled as well, 'Sounds like my friends back home.' She thought wistfully.   
  
Kagome climbed the spiral stairs into a room full of four-poster beds with red velvet curtains. She looked around and found her trunk placed at the foot of one of the beds. She dug a pair of pink, satin pajamas and threw them on. She pulled the blankets back a flopped into bed. She listened to the other girls as they rustled and settled into their own beds. Kagome closed her eyes and fell swiftly into a deep, dreamless sleep.  
  
.............................................................................................  
  
A/N: wow that was long, took up 18 pages on microsoft works, but I figure the longer the better, right? :)  
  
Okay, I want to take a quick poll: who thinks this is going along too slowly? Do you like it? Is it going good? please review! (so far my reviews have been nothing but good, which is, well, good :) lol) thanks to all you readers and reviewers, I like getting suggestions from people and so far they've been about pairings, I'm not going to tell you who gets with who because it would ruin the surprise! Not to mention the K/H and K/I shippers suggestions are always interesting :D lol, but don't worry I'll update ASAP! Bye for now!   
  
-:- Mikairi -:- 


	6. Enter, Professor Sinistra

Chapter 6...   
  
By: Mikairi   
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and InuYasha do NOT belong to me. I'm not making any profit from this fanfiction...sadly... :-P   
  
Note: If you see any writing inside these like this it means it is written in a letter. ;)   
  
...................................................................................................   
  
Phump.   
  
Kagome groaned as something fluffy and warm crashed into her face.   
  
"Sota, you little brat, it's too early." She muttered still half asleep. She rolled over and grabbed the ball of fluff roughly and threw it as hard as she could. She nearly fell out of bed in shock when it gave an indignant hoot, and there was a flutter of wings.   
  
Kagome opened her eyes and looked around. She had completely forgotten. She wasn't in her ruffled, pink bed at her house in Tokyo. She was in a four poster in Gryffindor Tower of Hogwarts School to learn magic. There was a significant difference that only a sleepy and drowsy mind could mistake. 'It feels like a dream.' She thought as she gazed out of her curtains at the other sleeping girls. It was only dawn, she had been rudely awakened by, an owl.   
  
Kagome looked to the floor and saw the tiny owl still lying on the ground.   
  
"Kya!" Kagome jumped out of bed and carefully lifted the unconscious owl off the ground. "Sorry! I'm so sorry!" She cradled the ruffled owl and placed it gently on the sheets, before she noticed the scroll of parchment tied to its tiny leg.   
  
"What's this?" She untied it and pulled the scroll open carefully. It was a letter from home, actually it was a letter from her home 450 years ago. It was Sango's careful writing that covered the page in Japanese.   
  
Kagome-chan, how are you? I hope you're doing well at your new school, (Kagome smiled faintly as "school" was spelt wrong). Everyone here is all right, though Shippou and Inuyasha miss you very much. Especially Inuyasha, he won't admit it. You know him, though.   
  
'I know him only too well,' Kagome thought wryly.   
  
We were able to find two more shards three days ago, they were in a badger demon near Kaede's village. But don't worry no one was seriously injured.   
  
Kagome cringed, ' "Seriously injured?!" In the Feudal Era, that can mean many things, usually not good things either.'   
  
Miroku broke his ankle, and Inuyasha inhaled some nasty poison gas. Right now we're resting at Kaede's hut and everyone is recovering just fine. But we've come into a problem. When you left you took the Shikon no Tama with you.   
  
Kagome froze. 'I completely forgot, how could I be so clueless?!' She reached around her neck and a wave of panic came over her. 'It's...gone.' She jumped off her bed and threw the covers, effectively sending the semi-conscious owl crashing to the floor with a dull "phlump." There was no sign of the jewel. 'But, I can feel its presence its here, it has to be.' She got to her hands and knees and peered under the bed. Nothing.   
  
"No! It can't be gone where is it!" She cried miserably.   
  
She searched for ten more minutes before flopping, defeated, back on to the bed. She snatched up the letter and read on.   
  
Don't worry, we trust you Kagome, and Inuyasha will get over it. But we need it back here because it's almost whole again, and we don't want Naraku to discover its whereabouts and make an attempt through the well. That's why we've made plans for Inuyasha to go through the well and get it.   
  
"NANI!?"   
  
Kagome dropped her jaw. Inuyasha at Hogwarts?! Now there was a bad idea.   
  
He talked to your mother about it and she said he should come during the Christmas Holidays. I'm not sure on what day, but we made him promise not to mess anything up for you when he does come. Write back soon, Kagome-chan we all miss you!   
  
Signed, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kirara, and Inuyasha.   
  
Kagome dropped the letter where it floated to the floor. This was just too much. How was she supposed to get through her classes when she was concentrating on where the Shikon no Tama was and if she would even ever find it? Not to mention the fact that she had no friends here yet and she didn't know where anything was in the school. She needed to find the jewel before someone, or something, else did. She looked around hopelessly, what she needed to do so, was help.   
  
.............................................................................................................................   
  
Twenty minutes later, Kagome was wide awake and dressed. She wanted to be prepared for her first day and she had been trying to make a plan for when she would be able to look for the jewel.   
  
She had started pacing across the common room when she heard someone coming down the stairs of the Girl's Dormitory. It was Hermione Granger, her brown curls unmistakable. Hermione looked up, surprised.   
  
"Good morning, up early aren't you?" She inquired as she adjusted the stack of books under her left arm.   
  
"Yes, I couldn't sleep, I'm too nervous." Kagome replied, "Where are you off to?"   
  
"Well, I'm going to the library to look up a few things for school, get a head start you know. Oh, which reminds me!" Hermione pulled a thick book from her large stack and handed it to her, "This is 'Hogwarts: A History,' it's mine but you can borrow it for as long as you like, I practically know it by heart." She said briskly.   
  
"Thanks so much." Kagome said brightly. The book looked ancient and was torn in a few places but as she flipped through the pages it looked extremely interesting.   
  
"You know, I've never met anyone who was interested in that book besides me." Hermione said looking at her curiously.   
  
"Not interested? Why wouldn't they be?" Kagome replied baffled. She couldn't wait to learn everything about the magical world, and she thought of the book in her hands as a key. Why someone wouldn't find a book on magic and its secrets interesting was a mystery to her.   
  
Hermione beamed, "If you like, would you want to come with me to the library? You can check out books, and get to know the school better."   
  
Kagome was about to answer when there was a great noise of shuffling feet, and a boy came thumping down the stairs to the Boy's Dormitories. He was soon followed by two other boys Kagome didn't know, who were both yawning hugely.   
  
Then a familiar red head appeared carrying what appeared to be a squirming pair of fur earmuffs.   
  
"I mean what could he have been doing?!" Ron exclaimed brandishing the puff ball to Harry, "Look at him, his feathers are all ruffled and bent."   
  
"Was he in the owlery?" Harry asked as he poked at the squirming fluff.   
  
"No, I lent him to Dumbledore, he said he needed it for something important, maybe its Order business!" Ron said excitedly.   
  
Kagome sweat dropped.   
  
It was the owl that had delivered her message from Sango. 'Oops.' She thought guiltily.   
  
"Really, it looks as if he was attacked by some-" But Ron froze, realization dawning on his face. He whirled around angrily, "Hermione!"   
  
Both Hermione and Kagome looked up in surprise.   
  
"Ron, Crookshanks was with me all night if that's what you're thinking. He would never be able to attack Pigwidgeon, he's too fast for Crookshanks. And besides, he hasn't gone after him before." Hermione stated simply.   
  
Ron opened his mouth to say something but Kagome interrupted him.   
  
"Ron, listen it wasn't Hermione's fault." Kagome paused, noticing that all eyes were on her, "You see, you're owl was delivering me a message from my family back in Japan. It flew into me when I was sleeping and I hit it into the wall by reflex. I'm really, really sorry." Kagome finished, she could feel her face burning.   
  
She was surprised when the sandy haired boy she had seen before started laughing. "You tried to kill Pig? Cheers!" He exclaimed brightly, "I've been trying for the past year. Bloody annoying thing it is."   
  
"Shut up, Seamus." Ron muttered.   
  
"No! It honestly was an acci-"   
  
"I wouldn't worry about it, Pig will be just fine." Harry said grinning, "Ron, you're not upset are you?" Harry asked.   
  
Ron who had finally got Pigwidgeon to wake up, turned to Kagome, his ears burning, "N, no, no, of course not. It was an accident right?" He asked suspiciously.   
  
Kagome put her hands on her hips, "Of course it was, I would never purposely do something like that! It's so cute!" She added.   
  
Ron scoffed at this, before throwing Pig out the window, "I'm hungry let's go down to breakfast."   
  
.............................................................................................................   
  
Kagome was just getting used to the many moving staircases when she remembered about the jewel. Her stomach gave a violent lurch and she nearly walked off the landing, had Harry not grabbed her arm. They reached the Great Hall and Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron quietly, "Would you two mind if Kagome joined us today, it's her first day and all."   
  
"Why would we mind?" Harry asked in surprise.   
  
"Yeah, she's nice." Ron added, "Better her than Luna." he said shuddering.   
  
"Shut up." Harry snapped.   
  
They took their seats just as the morning post arrived, Kagome noticed that Pigwideon was amoung the owls, looking perfectly fine, as he fluttered happily. A large black owl swooped down and dropped a package into Kagome's cereal bowl.   
  
Ron looked at her curiously before asking, "Is that a broomstick? Do you play any quidditch?"   
  
"I've never played in my life." Kagome replied as she began tearing off the brown paper. She lifted the wrappings off the table and a bow and arrows fell out with a clatter.   
  
Ron looked at them and sighed, "Too bad it wasn't a broomstick. Have you seen the new QuickSilver?"   
  
"Bow and arrows? what are you going to use those for?" Harry asked, curiously as Kagome lifted the gleaming, mahogany bow.   
  
"I'm a miko." Kagome answered simply. She glanced at Ron and Harry who were both looking very baffled, but Hermione's face lit up in recognition and, what looked like, amazement.   
  
"Oh my, a miko?! I know what those are!" Hermione said excitedly, "You have to be really, really powerful to be one, don't you? I thought they had all died out centuries ago, atleast that's what it said in my book, 'Magical Mysteries of the Ancient and Modern World.' It went into a lot of detail about one particular Miko, or in English, "Priestess," her name was Midoriko. It's said that there was a war between the demons of ancient Japan and-"   
  
"You still haven't explained what a mika is." Ron protested.   
  
"It's not 'mika' it's pronounced, 'miko,' with an "O," Ron." Hermione corrected sounding rather miffed, "And if you would be patient and listen I was just about to explain-"   
  
Ron exchanged a withered look with Harry before turning to Kagome and asking, "What's a "mikO," exactly?"   
  
"Well, you see a miko, or priestess, is a girl who has extremely powerful magical, or holy, powers. Usually these powers are used in healing and purifying things that have been tainted with evil. It was like Hermione said, in ancient Japan, Mikos fought against evil demons."   
  
"How?" Ron asked.   
  
"With this." Kagome picked up the bow. If I were to shoot an arrow, my powers would be transferred into it and would purify whatever it hits.   
  
"Have you ever, err, have you ever shot a demon?" Harry asked.   
  
Ron snorted into glass of pumpkin juice, "I'm sure she travels all over the country, chasing demons." He said sarcastically.   
  
"Actually-" Kagome stopped. Should she tell them about Feudal Japan? But Kagome was saved when the topic quickly changed as Ron was handed his time table from Professor McGonagall.   
  
"Oh, no...I have double potions with the Slytherins! Of all classes!" Ron groaned.   
  
"Me too." Harry said dully.   
  
"Me too, what class do you have next?" Hermione asked.   
  
"Potions with Slytherin, is that bad or something?" Kagome asked looking at the others.   
  
Harry's face darkened, "Well... yes. Professor Snape is the teacher and he's horrible. He hates everyone except those from Slytherin, his own House. I guess you could say we, especially, are on his bad side."   
  
"That doesn't sound fair." Kagome exclaimed, "Why doesn't anyone say anything I mean, have you tried talking to him-"   
  
"There is no talking to him, you'll see. He's just a greasy git." Ron said maliciously.   
  
"But not all the teachers are like that." Hermione said quickly catching the anxious look on her face, "Honest. All the other teachers are fair and pretty nice."   
  
"Well, you would say that." Ron muttered snidely.   
  
"Hey, have you seen the new Defense Against The Dark Arts Teacher?" Harry asked, "I didn't see anyone last night at the feast."   
  
"Hey your right! I think there was an empty seat at the teacher's table last night, and there's an empty seat now, too." Ron said craning his neck to look at the front table.   
  
"Well, we'll find out won't we? We have that class on Wednesday, well I do." Hermione said as she gathered up her books. "Let's get to class early."   
  
"I don't know why we bother, he's just going to get us for something else. Harry here just has to breathe loudly and he docks ten points." Ron said as he picked up his bag.   
  
Kagome grabbed her own bag and slung her bow and arrows over her shoulder. In her time table she had discovered that she was to have "Miko Training" sessions with Professor Sinistra in the afternoon. This is what she had come to do; learn as much magic as possible so she could destroy one of the most evil and powerful demons of ancient times. 'Maybe when I get back home, I'll be just as strong as Kikyou ever was.' She thought determinedly.   
  
She followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the Great Hall and down into the dark dungeons.   
  
.......................................................................................................   
  
Kagome left Potions Class with a detention, a brilliant blue rash, and a bad attitude. She never thought someone could be so cruel unless they slaughtered villages and ran around in a monkey suit, but no. Professor Severus Snape the Potions Master was the lowest of the low. And Kagome was positive that he had the power to read minds. 'I'd know that feeling anywhere.' She thought darkly.   
  
Kagome had entered Snape's classroom with a feeling of foreboding, the shelves were covered in jars of slime and, what she sensed, of demon organs. Although it was late summer outside, the dark classroom was cold and clammy. Snape had stalked inside, "in all his greasy-haired glory," Ron had said. He had walked right up to her and asked her if she was the foreign exchange student, Kagome Higurashi. When she had nodded in reply he asked if she was capable of any speech never mind English. The Slytherins were hardly any better, although Draco hadn't been in class, she had been sure she had seen him in the Great Hall...   
  
Snape then had them pair up into partners and concoct a potion of vitality, which was supposed to restore any living thing to full health. Kagome had gotten paired with the sandy-haired boy named Seamus Finnigan. Seamus had accidentally broken a single glass vial, and Snape swooped down on them. He had accused Seamus of vandalism and had taken five points away. When Kagome had tried reasoning with him, explaining it was an accident, he took ten points away. All the while smiling like it was the funniest joke. He had picked on the boy named Neville Longbottom, until he became a nervous wreck and ruined his own potion.   
  
'I can't believe he did that.' Kagome thought as she tilted her head against the cold wall.   
  
After Neville had properly melted his own cauldron, Snape blamed Harry and Hermione for the whole disaster. Kagome had slipped on Neville's spilt potion and landed right in it. It had burned her skin turning it a nasty shade of electric blue, while large green boils began forming in spots. Snape had merely insulted her for being clumsy and gave her a detention for causing a "scene."   
  
"What scene?! The whole room was in chaos!" Kagome yelled out to no one.   
  
"What's his problem!" She shouted, her voice echoing off the empty halls.   
  
After her burn he had sent her to the Hospital Wing. Except, she didn't know where that was. So now she was left to wander down the wet, dark halls in the dungeons. She was hoping beyond hope that she would come across someone who could help her.   
  
"Doesn't seem to like you very much."   
  
Kagome jumped at the voice. She looked over and saw Draco Malfoy peering into the potions classroom.   
  
"But what can you expect? You are a Gryffindor, after all." Draco drawled, smirking as smoke billowed out of Neville's spilt potion. "Gryffindors are so conceited its path-"   
  
"You talk about them as if they're only one person." Kagome interrupted.   
  
"They're are all the same." Draco answered.   
  
"All the same, huh? I don't understand how you can say that. I suppose with that logic then all Slytherins are the same; they never vary, they all have the same goals in life and-"   
  
"Ridiculous."   
  
"You think so? Me too." Kagome answered. She winced, her arm was beginning to turn blackish violet.   
  
"Does it matter that I'm in Gryffindor?" She asked quietly. "I mean, if I had been sorted into Slytherin, then it would be perfectly fine, but I'm not... Is that how you work?" Kagome asked her voice had gone dangerously low, and her eyes pierced his gray ones.   
  
Draco's smirk faltered for a moment, "You don't even know me. What are you playing at?"   
  
Kagome leaned back against the wall. 'He's right about that, I don't know him. The only thing that I have is this feeling. I mean, everyone has some good in them. Draco is no different. But it's true, the only thing I know for sure is what happened all those years ago, but he doesn't know, not yet at least...'   
  
"You know what I think?" Kagome asked her cheerful demeanor returning. "I think that you secretly want to talk to me. Even if I am in Gryffindor and you're in Slytherin Why else would you show up here, where I'm by myself, and there's no Slytherins to please." She smiled brilliantly at Draco, who just scowled back.   
  
"Higurashi, this is the door to the potions classroom, that's why I came back here." Draco retorted, a smirk back in place.   
  
"And yet, you haven't gone inside." Kagome mused, "I'm not forcing you to talk to me, in fact, you spoke to me first."   
  
"I most certainly did no-" Draco stopped, from where Kagome was standing she could faintly see a pink stain on his cheeks. He looked back into the potions classroom, a minute passed, and Kagome asked something that had been nagging at her since last night's feast.   
  
"I have a question for you." She began, staring straight ahead.   
  
"What."   
  
"I know it's none of my business, but, your brother Demetrius. Well, he's in Gryffindor." She said gently.   
  
Draco's expression darkened and his eyes became cold like steel. "Demetrius is no brother of mine," he snapped back, "Filthy, little blood traitor..." But there was something in his voice that almost contradicted the words he said.   
  
Draco looked up at Kagome and was surprised to see how glassy her eyes looked. Maybe it was just the light, but he was almost sure that no one had ever looked at him that way before, not even his own mother.   
  
Kagome looked away, it was one of the most sad things she had ever heard of. She had been living in Feudal Times, where families were ripped apart by war, demons, sickness, starvation, and death. But she only just realized how horrible it was when families were ripped apart by their own doing... by four houses... by a silly sorting hat... by prejudice...   
  
A wave of dizziness fell over her, and she felt sick to her stomach. Somehow she wanted to think it was this idea that made her feel so bad, but it probably had more to do with her festering arm. He looked at her, as if trying to decide on something. Kagome adjusted her bag and walked up the corridor. She muttered as she passed him, "I don't think you mean that," before she ascended the stairs out of the dungeons.   
  
.......................................................................................................................   
  
"What on earth have you been doing!" Madam Pomfrey shrieked at the sight of Kagome's arm which was at this point black and hissing out jets of steam.   
  
"I was in potions class and spilt some vitality potion on my arm, but I don't think it was made right-" Kagome said.   
  
"Obviously not! You should have come straight to me! How long has it been like this?" Madam Pomfrey demanded as she began mixing the contents of a bowl furiously.   
  
"Maybe a half an hour?" Kagome replied, she wasn't entirely sure.   
  
Madam Pomfrey bristled in reply, she strode over to Kagome and applied the liquid to her arm. The burning stopped and Kagome could feel the skin tingling pleasantly. Madam Pomfrey wrapped her arm from wrist to elbow with cotton bandaging, "Now, I want you to come back here tomorrow so I can check on it." She instructed, "It should be all right, now off to class with you."   
  
"Thank you." Kagome said before hopping off the bed and disappearing out the door. She glanced at her watch, 'Potions will be over in half an hour, it's double classes today. Well, I'm not going back there,' she decided. Then a thought struck her, 'I can use this time to find the jewel.'   
  
Kagome stopped and concentrated, searching for the familiar sensation of the jewel shard's presence. Her face fell, she couldn't feel a trace of it, it's presence was lost among the magic that filled the school. Kagome turned down a dark hallway, trying to find Gryffindor Tower. She pushed aside a tapestry, depicting a large dragon setting fire to a tree, revealing a door. She pushed it open and stepped through.   
  
Kagome was beginning to enjoy Hogwarts's secret passageways and doors, well, now that she wasn't trying to get to class. She looked at her watch, 'I have lunch in twenty minutes. I'll have to try and find my way back soon.' But she was too curious to stop now. She was in a darkened hallway, the little light that shone through the grimy windows revealed a threadbare carpet and old peeling paintings on the walls, who's occupants were all asleep.   
  
She passed a particular painting and was surprised when she saw a beautiful, young miko; her black hair tied in a loose bun on her head. She was sitting under the shade of a tree, sharpening arrow heads and humming as she worked.   
  
Kagome leaned closer, the girl looked very familiar. The miko looked up sharply, grabbing her bow and notching an arrow, "Who goes!" She shouted in Japanese. The miko looked at Kagome and her eyes widened. She threw her bow and arrow aside and dropped to her knees, bowing respectfully. "Kikyou-onee-sama!"   
  
"Kikyou?" Kagome asked surprised, "I'm not Kikyou, my name is Kagome." Kagome explained, "Who are you?"   
  
The miko looked up at her suspiciously, and Kagome was able to see a patch over her right eye. Kagome gasped in surprise, "Ka, Kaede?"   
  
"I am the miko Kaede," She answered in dignified Japanese, "And you are a student, but why do ye look so much of my sister Kikyou?"   
  
"Well, it's hard to explain, you see I'm her reincarnation, I think." Kagome said rather awkwardly.   
  
Kaede stood up placing her arrow back into a satchel and slinging her bow over her shoulder. She nodded in understanding. "That would explain it, Kikyou has been dead for many years." Kaede brushed the grass from her clothes. "I apologize for before, there have been strange happenings just of late, and I find that I must always be on my guard." She looked at Kagome curiously, "Are you lost, is that what brought ye down this way?"   
  
Kagome looked back at her watch, she was five minutes late for lunch, "Yes, I am. Could you show me the way to the Great Hall?"   
  
Kaede nodded, "Of course, follow me." She walked over the grassy hill and disappeared from sight. Kagome waited a few minutes before she returned with a black horse. Kaede mounted her horse with ease, opposed to the elderly Kaede Kagome knew. She flicked the reigns, and trotted over to the left, vanishing behind the frame of the portrait. Kaede reappeared in the next portrait over and continued; traveling from portrait to portrait. Kagome followed her out from behind the tapestry, up three staircases and down four winding hallways before she emerged into the bright entrance hall.   
  
"This is where I will leave ye, Kagome." Kaede said.   
  
"Thank you." Kagome replied, bowing politely.   
  
Kaede did the same, and before she galloped off into the next frame she said, "If you need my assistance in the future, you know now where to find me."   
  
"Kagome, there you are!" Kagome turned in time to see Hermione rushing towards her. "Are you all right?"   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Kagome said, "I thought you'd be at lunch already?"   
  
"Ron and Harry are," Hermione explained, "but I came to find you because I thought you might have gotten lost. Snape's horrible, he knew it was your first day. I can't believe he gave you a detention. Maybe if you go to Professor McGonagall about it, maybe she can do something." Hermione said frowning.   
  
"Thanks, but don't worry about it, really, I'll be fine." Kagome said, "Why don't we get some lunch, I'm starving."   
  
Kagome and Hermione walked into the Great Hall and made their way to the Gryffindor Table. Kagome spotted Ron and Harry, their heads were bent low and they were talking quietly. When Kagome approached them, she was just able to hear the words, "D.A." and "requirement."   
  
Harry looked up noticing her, he nudged Ron, who was still whispering and he stopped.   
  
Kagome sat down, "Hello, Harry, Ron."   
  
"Hi, how's your arm?" Harry asked noticing the bandage.   
  
"Oh, it's all right." She sighed, "is he always like that?" Kagome asked miserably.   
  
"Who? Snape, yeah. Stupid git. He hates the Gryffindors loads more then any of the other houses." Ron replied.   
  
"Yeah, but I don't know, it seems like, like he, he-"   
  
"Hates you especially?" Harry finished for her.   
  
Kagome looked up at him, "Was it that obvious?" She asked dully.   
  
Harry shook his head, "No, but I used to feel the same way. Then I found out he did hate me especially."   
  
Kagome frowned, "Why would you say that?"   
  
"Well, Snape and my Dad used to go to school together and they hated each other." Harry explained.   
  
"With a passion." Ron added through a mouthful of ham and cheese sandwich.   
  
"So now Snape hates me and he never lets me forget it." Harry finished   
  
"Cheer up, you three." Hermione said as she flipped through her book, "We don't have potions class again until friday. We've got Herbology with the Hufflepuffs next, that's not bad."   
  
"I don't. I have training for the rest of the afternoon." Kagome said reading her time table.   
  
"Training for what?" Ron asked.   
  
"Miko training. I'm guessing I'm the only one who has that class." Kagome asked.   
  
"I didn't even know Hogwarts offered that class." Ron declared.   
  
"Hogwarts has never offered that." Hermione said, "Maybe it's a new course this year."   
  
"No, I think it has to do with my mother." Kagome explained. Ron and Harry were looking at her quizically so she explained, "I come from a long line of priests and priestesses, but my powers are unusually stronger. My Mother wanted me to perfect or tame them this year and so that's why I'm studying with a Miko here. It's something that I need to learn."   
  
"Why, er, why do you have to take miko lessons?" Harry asked.   
  
The answer to that question would require more time to answer than lunch period and much aspirin. "Right now, I can't say, I'm sorry." Kagome said apologetically. 'Not that they'd believe me even if I did tell them.' She thought dully.   
  
Hermione marked a page in her book, "You don't have to tell us, don't worry." She smiled. "After lessons today, I'm going to the library to work, since I didn't go this morning. Harry and Ron won't come," She shot a look at them, "But do you want to?"   
  
"Sure." Kagome agreed, she looked at her watch, if she didn't leave now she was going to be late for her class. "Oh, I better go now, which way to the grounds?" She asked hurriedly.   
  
"There's a path leading from the front door, go down the left side, the grounds are near the edge of the lake." Harry instructed.   
  
"Thanks!" she called as she dashed out of the Great Hall and disappeared from sight.   
  
"I wonder why she needs extra lessons." Ron wondered out loud.   
  
"Maybe she needs them, like when I needed to learn Occlumency." Harry suggested. "It must be important, she seemed very closed up about it."   
  
"Well, she doesn't know us very well." Hermione said as she gathered her books in a neat stack on the table. "I don't think it's something that she can tell just anybody."   
  
"I wish I could be out on the grounds shooting at things on a day like this." Ron said wistfully as gazed at the brilliant blue sky.   
  
"I'm sure it's much harder than that, Ron. There's a section on it in my book," Hermione explained, "It takes real concentration and dedication to become a miko, I don't think there are many real ones alive today."   
  
"Come on, let's get to class." Harry said standing up, "At least we get to be outside for the rest of the day."   
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione gathered thier books and left the Great Hall to the greenhouses.   
  
.............................................................................................................................   
  
Kagome walked down the sloped path, her arrows on her back and her bow in hand. 'I wonder what Professor Sinistra is like,' she frowned, 'I really hope she's nothing like Snape.' As she rounded a bend in the path, she saw the glistening water of the lake. Standing at the water's edge was a tall, slender woman with her back to her. She was wearing the traditional clothes of a miko, only her hakama was navy blue instead of the traditional red. Her dark brown hair was braided down to the middle of her back and tied with a long white ribbon.   
  
Kagome reached the bottom of the hill and stopped. The miko didn't move, 'Perhaps she didn't hear me coming?' Kagome thought. "Umm, Professor Sinistra?" She asked tentatively. The teacher stood motionless still. Kagome began only took two steps when-   
  
"Stop."   
  
Kagome froze mid-step, surprised.   
  
"I'm Professor Sinistra, your teacher for this class, welcome." She said, turning around and smiling warmly. She had olive colored skin and her voice was low and smooth. Her brown eyes were her most prominent features; thick lashes brimmed her almond-shaped eyes, giving her a dark and mysterious look. "Kagome Higurashi, is it? Excuse me, but I must ask you, where is the Jewel of Four Souls?"   
  
Kagome's face faltered, "Umm, it's, well, right now? It's, umm, in the castle." '...Somewhere.' Kagome thought guiltily.   
  
Professor Sinistra nodded, she picked up her bow and began to test the string, "Please...find it."   
  
'She knows?! How does she know that it's los-misplaced?!' Kagome thought stunned. "I will." She replied quietly.   
  
"By the way, where are your robes?" Professor Sinistra asked, looking up from her bow.   
  
"Robes?"   
  
"For training, of course. Well, I didn't think you'd to bring some with you, so," Professor Sinistra pulled a wand from her pocket and flicked it. A white kimono jacket spun together from the wand's end, and floated gently to the ground. It was followed by a red hakama and sandals.   
  
"Th, thank you." Kagome said with wide eyes.   
  
Professor Sinistra then made a slashing movement in the air with her wand and a screen appeared, "Hurry and change, I would like to start the basics today."   
  
Kagome gathered her new robes and vanished behind the screen, moments later she emerged. She tied her hair back with a white ribbon and glanced at her reflection in the lake. Kagome frowned, her resemblance to Kikyou was uncanny, especially in the robes that she always wore. She was pulled from her thoughts as Professor Sinistra had pulled a scroll from thin air and handed it to her.   
  
"This year, I'm going to help you learn to control your miko abilities. But, along with training you shall learn of mikos and events in history. The Shikon no Tama will appear in your studies often this year, though you must know a great deal about it already." She said, smiling mysteriously. "This is a list of books that I would like you to read during the school year. The first book is rather more of an introduction, but it should be very useful in learning the daily practices of a miko. I assume that you understand the beliefs?" Professor Sinistra asked.   
  
"Yes." Kagome answered as she skimmed through the list of ten books or so. Some of the titles were written in Japanese and others English, "Professor, will I find all these in the library?"   
  
"I believe so, but if they don't own a copy, just ask me. I have a rather extensive library of my own, miko and astrological books mostly." Professor Sinistra replied.   
  
Kagome folded the list and slipped it into her robe pocket. Professor Sinistra slung her bow over her shoulder and picked up her satchel of arrows. She reached into her pocket and pulled a short strip of paper out. "Could you would hold still for one moment?"   
  
Kagome straightened up, trying not to move too much. Professor Sinistra held the paper up straight and let it go. It shot at Kagome where it attached to the center of her chest. Kagome glanced down and watched as spiral writing spread over the paper. Professor Sinistra held her hand out and the paper flew back to her. She read the paper quickly before looking up at Kagome, surprise written on her face.   
  
"This is quite extraordinary, I daresay, this year should prove most interesting." She said giving off another mysterious smile.   
  
"Professor, what is that?" Kagome asked politely, pointing at the paper.   
  
"This is your test results. I tested the levels of your magical ability, and the results are on here." She explained, "Every witch and wizard has a certain amount of magical powers. The lowest amount you can have on the scale is seventeen, anything below that, and you're considered a squib. Between seventeen and twenty-five is considered average. Someone who has a number higher than twenty-five has a larger than normal quantity of magical powers or abilities."   
  
"So, If you don't mind me asking, um, what was my number?" Kagome asked trying to digest the new information.   
  
Professor Sinistra's face flickered in amusement, "Well, I'm not allowed to tell students what their numbers are. You see, knowing might affect a students behavior in the classroom. And normally, teachers don't need to test the levels of their students magical abilities. Only in this case, Miko training, are these tests required, because in order to be a miko you need to have a high average or above to be one." Professor Sinistra said, as she began walking towards a large grassy field.   
  
Kagome followed her. "But, this once I'll tell you, only because I feel you have the right to know. This class will not be easy." She said, "Your results said that you had a score of forty-two, which is pretty impressive for your age."   
  
Kagome looked at the ground, she could tell she was blushing, "But, I've never done a spell in my life, I don't even know any real magic."   
  
"It doesn't matter, you were born with magic in you, and in this case a lot of it. This year you're going to have to learn six years of magic. I'm sorry you were robbed of those six years and I'm sorry about your father." Professor Sinistra said gently, her eyes softening as she looked at Kagome.   
  
"It's not your fault, of course, but thank you." Kagome said rather awkwardly. She looked across the field and noticed two red targets. "Is that what we're doing today? Archery?" Kagome asked changing the subject.   
  
"Oh, why yes, yes it is." Professor Sinistra replied, snapping back to her usual manner, "Well, first I'd like to see how you do shooting at stationary targets. When you're ready, Kagome."   
  
Kagome pulled a bow from her satchel, and notched it on the string of her bow. She pulled it back and took aim, 'Come on, hit the mark.' She thought, trying to concentrate only on the small circle that seemed miles across the lawn. She let the arrow fly, it ripped through the air as it soared, shining with a familiar purple light with blinding intensity. It hit the target dead on, but almost as soon as it struck, the target was blown to brilliant smithereens, and a large cloud of dust, smoke, and debris was all that remained.   
  
Kagome sweat dropped, "Umm, Sorry, Professor." She said sheepishly, glancing back at her.   
  
Professor Sinistra had an incredulous look on her face, before she seemed to snap out of it. "Ah, well, I suppose I should have put a protectment charm on it before we started, don't worry. Accio target!" She exclaimed. The remains of the target zoomed from the crater and landed in front of them. The red cover clearly showed an arrow-head sized hole in the very center.   
  
"Well, done, Kagome! I believe your arrow hit dead on. Reparo!" The target became whole and unscorched, Professor Sinistra waved her wand and put a protectment charm, and something that made the target hover and dart around. "I want to see if you can hit moving objects, as accurately as stationary," she explained. Professor Sinistra banished the target back across the field where it darted through the air, hitting it would be much more difficult.   
  
Kagome notched another arrow and pulled back, 'If it would just hold still for a moment-' Kagome released the arrow. It streaked across the grounds wrapped in purple light, scorching the grass below. Another ground shaking explosion and the target vanished in the debris.   
  
"So much for my protectment charm," She said in amusement, "Accio target!" Professor Sinistra shouted. A large ball of flame hurtled towards them, and they both had to dive out of the way as it came skidding to a halt. Professor Sinistra stood and brushed her robes off, she pointed her wand at the target and extinguished the remaining flames. She leaned over the target and inspected it. "Not too bad, rather off center. You just need practice is all. Reparo! shall we try it again?"   
  
................................................................................................................................   
  
Kagome spent the rest of the afternoon practicing her archery. Professor Sinistra had told her that her stance was off and after correcting it, Kagome's accurarcy had improved greatly. By five o' clock Professor Sinistra dismissed her, reminding her to read book one on her list and to write notes as she read.   
  
Kagome trudged back up the hill to the castle, she was thoroughly exhausted. Her arm that she had hurt in potions had become sore from the repeated use. She massaged her arm, wincing. Whenever she used her miko powers it always seemed to take a lot of her energy. 'I can't wait for supper.' She thought as she reached the front doors, 'I still need to meet Hermione in the library, Snape assigned those questions about vitality potion and I should start on my book.' Kagome pulled the book list out of her pocket and read the first title, "A Guide for: Magical Mikos."   
  
Kagome pulled the heavy wooden doors open and slipped inside the Entrance Hall. She walked into the Great Hall and scanned the Gryffindor Table for Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Kagome frowned as they were noticeably absent from the table. In fact. there were several empty seats at the Gryffindor Table, and as she looked around the Hall, she noticed the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Tables were rather sparse of students. The only table that was completely full was the Slytherin Table.   
  
'Perhaps their classes are running late?' Kagome thought. Although diner had started ten minutes ago. Kagome looked back at the Gryffindor Table, and saw Demetrius sitting at the far end, and looking rather dejected, as he pushed his peas from one side of his plate to the other. 'He doesn't seem to have any friends.' Kagome thought sadly. She looked at the few Gryffindors, who were sitting with their backs to him. Kagome boldly strode forward and stopped next to Demetrius, "Mind if I sit here?" She asked gently pointing to a seat across from him. He looked at her mildly surprised and shrugged. Kagome took this as a 'yes' and sat. He stared back down at his plate and began constructing a mountain out of mashed potatoes.   
  
"My name's Kagome what's yours?" Kagome asked making a stab at conversation. A few Gryffindors looked at her and began whispering furiously, she shot them a glare and turned back to Demetrius smiling.   
  
He looked up and said in a dull tone, "Demetrius."   
  
"So, you're a first year student, huh?" Kagome asked brightly.   
  
He nodded sullenly, still staring at his plate.   
  
Kagome smiled in triumph, she was glad that he had at least responded to her questions, "You know it's my first year here, too."   
  
He glanced at her before turning his attention across the hall, Kagome followed his line of vision and realized who he was looking at.   
  
'I can't believe Draco stopped talking to his little brother because he was sorted into Gryffindor.' Kagome thought as she watched Demetrius's gray eyes swirl with emotion.   
  
Kagome thought fast, "Hey, do you think you could show me to the library? It's just, I'll get lost." She said giving him her most brilliant smile.   
  
The boy pulled his eyes off of Draco and looked at her. He glanced down at the table and muttered, "Sure, got nothing better to do."   
  
They got up and walked out of the Great Hall, unaware that a certain Slytherin boy had seen the whole thing.   
  
Kagome and Demetrius had walked up two staircases and were down an empty hallway that lead to the library, when she finally decided to break the silence. "Demetrius, your brother is Draco, isn't he?" Kagome asked politely.   
  
Demetrius tensed at this, "Yeah, he's in Slytherin."   
  
"I've met him before, in Diagon Alley, he's really," Kagome paused, "he's really-"   
  
"A jerk." Demetrius said bitterly.   
  
"Well, that wasn't the word I was going to say." Kagome began, "And what do you mean, "a jerk," he's your brother."   
  
Demetrius whipped around, "What do you know! He is too a jerk! He won't even talk to me because I'm in Gryffindor! None of my family will now!" Demetrius shouted as tears of anger threatened to fall from the corners of his eyes.   
  
Kagome was very much taken aback, Demetrius must've been as well. He clapped a hand to his mouth and took several steps away from her, looking very frightened. He spun around and took off down the hall, he stumbled around a corner and disappeared from sight.   
  
Kagome stared down the empty hall and sighed, she didn't feel much like studying now. 'This sibling rivalry is all too familiar.' She thought disgustedly. She decided to get her book at least to read later. She walked to the end of the hall and pushed the heavy door open. She walked as quietly as possible to the front desk.   
  
The librarian emerged from a back room and glared through her glasses at her, "Can I help you?" She asked in a harsh whisper.   
  
"Yes, do you have the book, 'A Guide for: Magical Mikos,' by Rei Hino?" Kagome whispered back.   
  
"One minute." The librarian replied and she disappeared under the desk.   
  
She stood up straight a few minutes later with a black leather bound book with gold lettering. "Here you are, it will be due back in two weeks from today." She pulled a quill from an ink pot and placed it over a piece of parchment, "What's your name and house?"   
  
"Kagome Higurashi and I'm in Gryffindor."   
  
"All right, off you go." The librarian whispered briskly as she scribbled the information down.   
  
"Thanks."   
  
Kagome hurried back to the Gryffindor Common Room, 'I hope Hermione isn't mad, I mean, she wasn't at diner or the library.' Kagome thought as she climbed through the portrait hole. 'I'm just too tired to do any sort of studying.' She looked around the Common Room, but no sign of them. She glanced down at her watch, 'Almost six o' clock, diner should be over by now.'   
  
Kagome trudged up the stairs to the Girl's Dormitory, she kicked off her shoes and was about to collapse onto her bed when she noticed the letter on her pillow. She ripped it open and read,   
  
Kagome, I'm terribly sorry, but I can't meet you in the library today. Harry, Ron, and I won't be back until late this evening. I'll explain everything when I get back. See you. From, Hermione.   
  
Kagome yawned and placed the letter on her bedside table, she laid back on her bed and closed her eyes. She didn't have much time to wonder about Hermione's mysterious letter, because she was asleep within minutes.   
  
........................................................................................................................  
  
A/N: Finally ch 6! It took my awhile to see how this chapter was going to go, but it's done, thank god! lol  
  
Now on to chapter 7, which will be out soon...  
  
...hopefully... ; )  
  
-:- Mikairi -:- 


	7. Blessing In Disguise

Chapter 7... Blessing in Disguise   
  
By: Mikairi   
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and InuYasha do NOT belong to me. I'm not making any profit from this fanfiction...sadly... :-P   
  
............................................................................................................................................   
  
"Higurashi, you're late."   
  
"I'm sorry Professor, I was kept late in class and-"   
  
"Enough. Ten points from Gryffindor, and I don't believe that is the proper dress code?"   
  
Kagome glanced down and realized she was still in her miko robes. Her cheeks warmed pink as Snape's lip curled in cruel amusement.   
  
"Do you intend on passing my class," he looked her up and down and smirked, "or are you trying to make some sort of a statement with those ridiculous clothes? I daresay, as of now, you're failing both miserably."   
  
Kagome's cheeks reddened in embarrassment, and as the Slytherins began to snicker loudly, she gathered her pride and stood taller.   
  
"Excuse me, Professor, but I was under the impression that you were a professional teacher. After all, the reason why I came here is to learn and not be insulted." Kagome walked to an empty desk near Hermione who, like the rest of the class, was gaping at her in amazement. "My clothes are that of a miko and I'm sorry for being late, but if I had changed I would have been even more late for your class, and surely that is not what you would have wanted." Kagome replied calmly as she sat down and opened her Potions book.   
  
She chanced a glance up at Snape, though, she wished she hadn't.   
  
Snape was standing at the front of the room shaking with suppressed fury, he was gripping the end of his desk so tightly his knuckles were white and the contents of the desk rattled loudly.   
  
'I'm in so much trouble now...' Kagome thought anxiously.   
  
A nasty silence had settled around the room, and Kagome was trying to ignore Hermione, who was trying to mouth to her what her words had just done.   
  
"Miss Higurashi," Snape said calmly, although it was impossible to miss the ice frozen to every letter. "I believe you already have had one detention so far this year?"   
  
Kagome nodded, timidly, fretting the worst. Last week had gone smoothly and was for the most part very enjoyable. Except for the day she had had her detention. Kagome had to clean the potions classroom, apparently someone from Snape's last class of the day had managed to ignite their potion and effectively blow it up. It was her job to scrub the film of slime from the desks, walls, and shelves.   
  
"You're getting another one, see me after class." Snape hissed. He turned abruptly from the students and waved his wand over the chalkboard. "Copy down these notes." He barked. There was a shuffling of bags, books, and quills before the class settled and began writing.   
  
Everyone except Kagome; she was staring at Snape in utter confusion. 'That was a pretty nasty thing I said, it's odd, but he didn't take any points away.' She thought, 'Not that I'm complaining, but, he only gave me a detention. It's weird...'   
  
But Kagome quickly ducked her head down as Snape looked up to stare around the room. For some reason, she didn't like the way he looked at her. Whenever she looked directly at him, she felt the creepiest sensation. As if he was looking right through her or scanning her thoughts...   
  
'Yeah, right.' She thought irritably she dipped her quill into the ink well and began to write, 'I hope not.'   
  
..................................................................................................................   
  
Half an hour later the bell rang and there was a great shuffling and scraping of chairs as the students got up to leave as quick as possible. Kagome packed her bag up and had just stepped into the aisle when someone knocked into her, making her stumble into the desk opposite her.   
  
"Watch it, miko." A voice said gruffly as they pushed past her.   
  
Kagome looked up to see Draco Malfoy, a smirk on his face, he paused to look around the room. All the other students had filed out and Snape, who had left to the teacher's room twenty minutes ago, had yet to return.   
  
Kagome straightened her bag on her shoulder and glanced at him wearily. She wasn't quite sure what kind of relationship, if any, she had with Draco. Sometimes he was all right, and other times, she wanted to smack him. She had come to the realization that it all depended on who was around and watching him. Not to mention she was still angry that he had disowned his little brother.   
  
'Perhaps he doesn't know?' Kagome thought, but gossip flew around Hogwarts so fast and she was sure Draco had heard a good deal about it.   
  
"You know, Snape really did have a point. At least about the statement you're making with this." He tugged on one of the corner of her voluminous sleeve. "And red...whatever those are...how Gryffindor." Draco finished nodding at her pants.   
  
Kagome sighed, "The pants are called hakama and they're always red. I have to wear this for my Miko Training class, which was today and was right before Potions. Besides, why are you talking to me, I'm a Gryffindor. Remember how horrible I am?" Kagome asked testily.   
  
Draco smirked, "Glad to see you've got that straight."   
  
Kagome rolled her eyes and pushed past him, heading towards the door, "Great I'm going to be late for my next class."   
  
"Wait."   
  
Kagome turned around her eyebrows raised in surprise.   
  
"I did have a reason for talking to you." Draco said staring at the floor. He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Listen, what you said last week about Demetrius, well." He stopped, and held out the letter, "Could you just give this to him for me?"   
  
Kagome looked at him, to the letter, and back at him again. "Why do you want me to?" Kagome asked.   
  
Draco glanced nervously at the door and dropped his voice, "You just don't get it do you? If I talk to Demetrius, a Gryffindor, I will be completely shunned by the Slytherins. And Demetrius-"   
  
"Demetrius is already disowned." Kagome shot back hotly. "He told me so. Last week, he told me no one will talk to him, not even his _family_. It's disgusting. You're his brother, aren't you supposed to watch out for him?" Kagome asked, her voice rising.   
  
But Draco didn't answer her, and when he looked back at her, the usual smirk on his face was gone. He looked totally different at this moment. Maybe it was because it was the first time Kagome had ever seen him show any kind of remorse.   
  
Draco stuffed the letter in her hand and walked out of the classroom, leaving a stunned Kagome in his wake.   
  
..................................................................................................................   
  
"That was absolutely brilliant, Kagome." Harry said grinning.   
  
"Bloody brilliant, I don't suppose I've ever seen Snape that mad." Ron said in amazement.   
  
"Maybe you went a tad too far." Hermione said frowning.   
  
"Hermione, how can you say that? Snape was completely picking on her for no reason. He was asking for it." Harry argued.   
  
Hermione cracked an unusual mischievous smile, "Well, I suppose so, but I wouldn't do it again, if I were you."   
  
"Did he give you a detention?" Harry asked.   
  
Kagome shook her head.   
  
"That's odd. I mean, it isn't like Snape to not punish students, especially when he has a reason too, is it?" Ron asked, puzzled.   
  
"No, its not, especially since you're in Gryffindor." Harry added to Kagome.   
  
"I thought he hated me though," Kagome wondered out loud, "But he did take ten points for me being late."   
  
"Well whatever is up with Snape, it's for the better." Ron said brightly, "And I wouldn't worry about it if it means that he's going to lighten up more on us Gryffindors." They all nodded in agreement as they trudged down the steep lawns to their Care of Magical Creatures Class.   
  
.....................................................................................................................   
  
Kagome enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures class much more than potions. It might've been because Hagrid, her Professor, had them look after some recently hatched Rimphs.   
  
The Rimphs were extremely pleasant mannered creatures. They were very small, about the size of a brick. They looked like they were a mix between cat, horse, and dolphin. They had a cat like face with midnight blue fur that shimmered brilliant red in the sunlight. It's body was like that of a horse, and the legs turned to sleek webbed fins where the hooves should have been. The fur turned to shimmering blue scales the closer it got to the legs and fins, which were black.   
  
"Now, Rimphs," Hagrid explained holding a Rimph carefully in his giant hand, "are born from these 'ere eggs. Ya see the purple lookin' ones?" Hagrid pointed to the violet shells on the ground, "They look jus' like normal bird eggs, and if ya ever run into a nest of 'em, bes' move out of tha' area. Mum's pretty protective, ya see."   
  
Hagrid set the Rimph into the large crate of water. "Now what yer goin' ter do, is come up and get yerself an egg. It takes eight days fer em to 'atch, then yer goin ter take care of 'em." Hagrid instructed. "O course, yer goin ter 'ave to monitor their behavior, take daily notes an' the like."   
  
The class peered curiously into the crate. The surface was calm and smooth and the only sign that something was darting beneath its surface was the tell tale ripples. Hagrid motioned them over to a another smaller crate on the ground filled with frosted, violet eggs. The students carefully picked an egg up with a pair of cushioned tongs, (the eggs were too cold to touch), and they placed them in little cartons lined with a special cooling fabric.   
  
"Now then, take yer notes, an jus' put 'em carefully in here." Hagrid said pointing to a cage-like cupboard on the side of his house. "An' don' ferget to lock the cage!" Hagrid called as the students started to talk amoungst themselves.   
  
Kagome sat down on the grass with her egg and placed it gently in front of her. She began scratching in the color of the egg, when she lifted her head in alarm. She jumped to her feet, her quill and ink fell to the ground, splattering her egg with black speckles. Kagome's breathing quickened and the familiar sensation came rushing over her. The hair on the back of her neck was on end and as she took several steps towards the woods. She gazed into the darkness, and she was almost sure of it.   
  
"Hey watch it!"   
  
Kagome stumbled over a pair of Ravenclaws as she stared unblinking at the Forbidden Forest. The trees's leaves were rustling in an ominous way, their pale undersides waving in warning. She stopped, and listened as hard as she could, trying to block out the chattering of the students around her. She waited and then she heard a dull thud. It wasn't loud or hard enough to attract the other students attention, but Kagome had a pretty good idea. Something had just knocked over a tree, and by the sound, it was something large.   
  
She reached around her shoulder and realized her bow and arrows were still in her bag. She dashed back across the student strewn lawn and grabbed them. She notched an arrow in her bow and turned back to the woods.   
  
"Kagome?" A questioning voice asked from behind her.   
  
It was Hermione and she was staring at her with a furrowed brow. "Is something wrong?"   
  
Kagome looked at her and glanced around. A few students had paused to look at her strangely, and Kagome lowered the bow. She leaned in and whispered quickly. "There's something in the woods, and it's not good."   
  
But Hermione's face relaxed greatly, "Of course there's something in the woods, there's werewolves, unicorns, centaurs, and all sorts of magical creatures in there."   
  
"No, I know." Kagome answered quickly, "I've sensed those kinds of creatures before, but nothing like this. It's an evil presence and," She paused as she peered into the wood's dark shadows, "I'm sure it's getting closer."   
  
Kagome turned back to Hermione but she was staring somewhere else. Kagome followed her gaze and it led straight to Harry. He was standing the farthest from the other students, he was right on the edge of the forest, and he seemed to be gazing intently into the trees.   
  
"Whats up with Harry?" Ron asked as he joined them still holding his egg carton. "Hermione, my egg has a crack do you think you could-"   
  
"Shhh!" Hermione hissed, as she cocked her ear towards the forest listening.   
  
Kagome walked towards Harry, followed closely by Hermione, and even more so by a bewildered Ron.   
  
"There's something in there." Harry said, his wand raised.   
  
Kagome lifted her bow and peered as hard as she could through the foliage.   
  
"Will someone please tell me, what this is all about!" Ron hissed, as he too, pulled out his wand.   
  
"It's a demon." Kagome said, "And a strong one at that." She shivered, 'It feels similar to Naraku, except, colder somehow.' She thought.   
  
"Kagome leaned forward, "I can't see anything but I-"   
  
But just as she was mid sentence, a scream like no other rang out across the grounds. It was shrill and it sent a shiver rippling down her back and the hairs on her arm and neck stood on end. It sounded like a bloodcurdling scream combined with fingernails on a chalkboard. Ron dropped his carton and Hermione stumbled backwards. The students had jolted at the sound and they now stared fearfully at the Forest.   
  
Kagome had released the arrow in surprise which went horribly off course and had planted itself firmly in the door frame of Hagrid's hut. Hagrid had disappeared inside and emerged with a large cross bow, he like the students, wore an expression of tense worry. He ripped Kagome's stray arrow from the frame and notched it into the crossbow. "Fang, come." He barked, and a black boarhound trotted out from the inside of the house. "All, righ.' Evryone, get back up ter the castle now!" The students needn't telling twice, they were packed within seconds and they ran wildly up the sloped lawns.   
  
"You four!" He growled angrily, "I said, get up ter the castle, this is dangerous business, this is!"   
  
"But, Hagrid are you-"   
  
"Get yer stuff and get outta here!" He bellowed.   
  
Hermione and Ron walked away from the wood's edge and picked up their bags. But Harry and Kagome didn't move.   
  
"Hagrid, I know what's in there." Kagome said after a moment.   
  
"Higurashi, go." He said.   
  
"Please, it's a demon. Let me help, I can purify it and-"   
  
"And yer also a student who's in me class and I 'ave dismissed ya, now go."   
  
Their attention was pulled back to the woods as a loud grating crunch erupted and tree branches rained down on them.   
  
"GO!" Hagrid boomed.   
  
Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Kagome fled from the shower of branches. They turned around and watched as Hagrid shot arrow after arrow at the tree line.   
  
"We can't just leave him like this." Harry said impatiently. "We have to help him."   
  
They nodded in silent agreement.   
  
The trees calmed and the grounds were still for a few moments. They waited in tense silence for an attack, but none came. Instead a slouched figure emerged from the dark bushes.   
  
Kagome watched as Hagrid readied his crossbow. The figure staggered forward. It was a mere girl with short black hair. Her face was pale and weary, her robes torn and filthy. She was a student. She fell to her knees as she gasped for breath.   
  
Hagrid rushed towards her. "Someone, go an' get some 'elp!" He shouted.   
  
"I'll go!" Ron yelled as he ran up the lawn to the castle.   
  
"Are you all righ,' miss?" Hagrid inquired as he helped her to her feet.   
  
Harry and Kagome were walking cautiously towards the scene, when Kagome shot her hand out in front of Harry, "Wait! Stop Hagrid!" Kagome shouted horrified, "Get away from her now!" She notched an arrow and let it fly, it grazed the girl's face and she let out the same horrible scream they had heard earlier, this time, in anger. "She's a demon in disguise!"   
  
The demonic girl clutched the side of her head, and as she did, she made a slashing motion at Hagrid who was blasted back into the side of his hut, and was knocked undoubtedly unconscious.   
  
"Hagrid!" Harry shouted in alarm as he ran over to him.   
  
The demon looked up, revealing a ghostly white face, with burning eyes of red, her lips were curled back inhumanly, revealing long, pointed fangs, a dull color yellow. She lifted her hands, which were making horrible ripping noises as the fingers grew long, complete with sharpened claws.   
  
"You are a miko, are you not?" The demonic girl hissed.   
  
Kagome stood her ground, she notched another arrow, "I am, who are you?" Kagome asked in a threatening tone.   
  
The demon smiled wickedly, "I am the Demoness, Wann. Do you carry the Sacred Jewel?" The demon took a step forward and in an instant was standing right in front of Kagome.   
  
Kagome gasped and she stumbled back, her arrow slipped from her pinched fingers and fell to the ground. The demon was truly even more horrid looking up close. It's gaunt figure towered over Kagome even though it was slouching. It raised a gray, clammy hand and ran one if its long fingernails down the side of Kagome's face. Kagome winced as she felt blood trickle down her cheek and down her neck.   
  
"Get away from her!" Harry bellowed, he waved his wand, "Expeliarmus!"   
  
The spell hit the demon square in the back and knocked her head over heels. "You, boy!" she shrieked, "Stay out of it!" The demon struck the ground with her arm and it erupted and rippled like a wave; straight at Harry. The ground bucked him high up into the air and he fell and landed with a sickening crunch.   
  
"Harry!" Kagome and Hermione shouted out in unision. They rushed towards him and dropped beside him. His arm was sticking out at an odd angle from beneath his prone form.   
  
"Harry, wake up, please wake up!" Hermione whispered hoarsely, but Harry lay still.   
  
Kagome bent her head low, and was happy to hear his shallow breathing. "He's breathing! Hermione, get yourself and Harry out of here now."   
  
"Nonsense, what about yo-"   
  
"Don't worry I'll be fine, no go to the castle, and get some help-get Professor Sinistra!" Kagome said quickly. She sat back on her heels and glared up at the demon.   
  
Wann was laughing, clearly enjoying herself, "I have not had this much fun in years, silly boy, like spells could affect me. Honestly what was he thinking." The demoness chuckled.   
  
Kagome was shaking with rage. "Shut up!" She bellowed. Kagome watched Hermione out of the corner of her eye as she dragged Harry slowly out of harm's way. Hermione slung his good arm over her shoulder and began walking slowly up the hill. 'I have to distract the demon so she doesn't go after them.' Kagome thought.   
  
The demon stopped laughing and fixed her red eyes on her, a murderous glint shining in them. "I know for a fact you do not have the Jewel, no, it is in that tower." The demon said pointing at the castle. "You are of no use and you know not your place. Good bye, miko." The demon lunged back and sprung, her arm raised above her head.   
  
Kagome shielded her face with one arm and held the other out on instinct. She squeezed her eye lids shut, "St, Stay away!!" The next moment, a blinding light was blazing through her closed eye lids. She opened them quickly and saw a familiar purple light emitting from her outstretched hand. Just above it was the demon, stopped in midair and shrieking in pain.   
  
"Violent wench, what have you done to me!!?" The demon screeched, "What is this!!?" The demoness shot through the air as if caught in a high power wind, where she landed hard, twenty feet away.   
  
Kagome didn't waste anytime, she scrambled to her feet and made a mad dash to her bow and quiver of arrows. She could hear the demon fuming behind her as it got back to its feet. She snatched up her bow and fumbled for an arrow. The demon roared as it lunged at her again. She notched her arrow, aimed, and with as much force as she could muster, released it. The lawns were momentarily engulfed in the dazzling purple light that was the arrow as it streaked up at its target. The Demoness Wann gasped in surprise then let out a final ear splitting scream. The light diminished and all that remained of Wann was a shower of dust that drifted to the ground harmlessly.   
  
The grounds fell into silence for a moment, then the birds began to chirp happily again, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Kagome sank to her knees, breathing heavily as relief flooded over her. 'For a second there, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.' She thought darkly. She turned to look at Hagrid, who was still slumped against his hut, 'I hope he's all right.' Kagome thought, now remembering about him and Harry. She got shakily to her feet and stared at her hand, 'How was I able to produce that light again, the only time I was able to, was when I had the jewel.'   
  
Kagome walked over to Hagrid and gently prodded his shoulder, "Professor, err, Hagrid?" Kagome asked gently. But he remained still, she sighed and turned back towards the castle. She was extremely happy to see a group of people emerging from the opened doors, and coming in her direction.   
  
Then a thought struck her, 'The demoness! She said I didn't have the jewel shards, but that's what attracted her in the first place, meaning that they must be really close by!' She stared back at the castle and tried to remember which tower the demoness had pointed to. 'She said the jewel was in a tower... It must be that one!' Kagome broke out into a large smile, she knew exactly where the jewel was and now she could find it. After all her worrying, it would soon be over.   
  
She quickly stopped smiling as her head began to ache, as if she had been hit with a fry pan, or in this case, 'more like a cauldron...' She thought drowsily. She sank to her knees, all of a sudden she felt incredibly exhausted. Her eyes drooped and blurred and the last thing she remembered seeing was a very upset looking Professor McGonagall...   
  
.............................................................................................................................................   
  
Images of the Demoness Wann and the fight floated through her mind, her horrible scream kept replaying over and over in Kagome's dreams. The tower, that was currently home to the jewel, seemed to grow farther and farther away whenever she tried to run to it. She thrashed in her sleep, as her dream shifted and changed to the familiar dark room with the floor of water. The orb that always hung out of her reach and that icy voice...   
  
"I swear to ya I'm alrigh' already!"   
  
Kagome opened he eyes and quickly closed them, as she was blinded by sunlight. She creaked them back open and at once knew where she was. She was in the Hospital Wing, and by the sound of it, so was Professor Hagrid.   
  
"Oh, all right," A waspish voice replied, "But make sure you drink this, now I'm serious!"   
  
Hagrid mumbled something in reply and the door creaked open and closed. Kagome sat up and rubbed her cheek. It was bandaged and it stung when she touched it. She looked around the room at the other beds, most were empty except for one at the far side where a girl with bright red hair lay asleep. The bed across from her was also occupied, a mass of tangled black hair was sticking out on the pillow...   
  
"Harry!" Kagome choked out in a weak voice. She shoved the sheets off of her and slid out of the bed.   
  
"What do you think you're doing!?"   
  
Kagome looked behind her to see Madam Pomfrey bustling over with a goblet in hand. "He's asleep, don't go waking him!"   
  
"Sorry." Kagome said quietly. "Is he okay?" She asked.   
  
"He'll be all right, his arm has been mended, luckily, those are the worst of his injuries." Madam Pomfrey explained as she smoothed the blankets on Harry's bed. "And as for you," she gave Kagome a pointed glare, "what on earth were you thinking, taking on a full fledged demon. You could've been killed." She clicked her tongue in disapproval. Madam Pomfrey handed her the goblet, "Drink up, the Headmaster has asked me to escort you to his office as soon as you have awoken." Madam Pomfrey said, "Though I must insist that you rest afterwards."   
  
Kagome nodded as she gulped the contents of the goblet. It tingled her nose, almost like soda, and she soon felt wide awake and full of energy. She looked at her night stand and found fresh clothes, she pulled the curtain around her bed and quickly dressed, a knot in her stomach. Why did the Headmaster want to see her? What if he was angry at her? Madam Pomfrey seemed to be upset about the incident... Surely, it had been her fault that she had endangered the lives of her professor and fellow classmates. It felt like a brick had dropped into her stomach as a sudden realization came over her, what if she was expelled?   
  
"Damn that jewel." Kagome muttered angrily under her breath. Wherever it went, future or past, havoc seemed to rise in its wake. It was only September, how many other disasters would occur throughout the school year? 'But I don't have to worry about that, Inuyasha is coming for it at Christmas.' This thought comforted her, though, not for too long, as Kagome remembered that she had lost it. 'I have to get to that tower as soon as possible.' Kagome thought with determination.   
  
Kagome pushed the curtain aside, walked to the front of the Infirmary, and placed the empty goblet on her desk. Madam Pomfrey emerged from one of the back rooms, "Drank it all then?" She asked.   
  
Kagome nodded in reply.   
  
"Very well, this way." Madam Pomfrey said. She opened the door and walked out, Kagome followed in her wake.   
  
.....................................................................................................................................  
  
Kagome stood facing a large gargoyle statue, waiting as Madam Pomfrey glanced around and muttered the password. Which was now, "Spew." Hidden behind the gargoyle was a slow rotating staircase, winding upwards.   
  
"Remember, Miss Higurashi, after this, get some bed rest." Madam Pomfrey ordered as she turned and walked off down the hall.   
  
Kagome stepped onto the staircase and waited as she was carried up and up. She was rather dizzy when she stepped off the staircase and walked to a large door. She paused as she heard muffled voices from the other side and knocked politely.   
  
"Enter." A voice replied through the door.   
  
Kagome pushed it open and stepped in. The first thing she saw was a large desk at the far side of the circular room, and an old man with a long white beard sitting behind it, his hands folded under his chin as he smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling. Kagome noticed Professor Sinistra sitting gracefully in a large squashy arm chair, her hands were folded neatly in her lap and she looked serene as always, though Kagome couldn't help but notice her foot tapping in a rather nervous way.   
  
"Ah, Miss Higurashi, please have a seat." The headmaster, inquired motioning to a second arm chair.   
  
Kagome sat down, not quite as nervous as before. The headmaster didn't seem at all angry, as she had believed he would have been. In fact, he looked quite the opposite.   
  
"I am Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, as you may have deduced." He smiled. "You may believe that you are in some sort of trouble for this afternoon's events. And I must tell you, that you are not. Quite the contrary, actually. Indeed, Professor Hagrid and Harry Potter were injured, but I fear they may have experienced worse, had you not been there."   
  
Kagome looked at the floor. "Excuse me, Professor," she spoke up timidly, "but it was my fault the demon attacked Professor Hagrid and the others in the first place."   
  
"How so?" Dumbledore inquired.   
  
"Sir, you do know about the jewel?" Kagome asked.   
  
Dumbledore nodded, "A true object of mystery, with powers beyond the most imaginative dreams, it's understanding how tempting something of that nature could be."   
  
"Yes, sir, and that's why Wann attacked. She was looking for it, because I brought it here with me, by accident. But I don't have it any more. I, I lost it." Kagome said feeling worse than ever.   
  
She looked up at Dumbledore, who's eyes were glinting in a bemused way. "I trust that you understand the consequences of the jewel, as you have had much experience?"   
  
Kagome nodded, "I think I know where to find it, sir, and I've made plans to have it taken to a safe place during the Christmas holiday."   
  
Dumbledore looked at her curiously, before answering, "I believe that you can undertake the protection of the Jewel of Four Souls. But, I must impress upon you the importance of locating it, which in truth, might prove a more difficult task. I shudder to think of what could happen in the wrong hands..."   
  
Kagome nodded, "I'll find it, sir, it's my job to protect the jewel."   
  
"I also want it understood that, help is always available from either myself or Professor Sinistra." Dumbledore replied, "Now, I believe I heard Madam Pomfrey talking about bed rest, I myself find it wise to follow her requests." He mused, his blue eyes twinkling.   
  
Kagome smiled, "Thank you, sir." She bowed respectfully.   
  
Professor Sinistra rose from her chair, and motioned for Kagome to follow her. Kagome left the office, feeling confusingly better and yet worse. She was glad that she was not going to be expelled and that Harry and Hagrid were going to be all right, but she also felt horribly guilty that the incident occurred because of her lack of responsibility.   
  
Professor Sinistra stopped and turned to Kagome when they had reached the base of the Astronomy Tower. "You know, I was standing about here when brilliant light filled this hallway. It was as if someone had lit off a giant crate of filibuster fire works." She mused. "But it was not, it was your arrow, your purifying powers. Your abilities and courage are great, Kagome, but-" She stopped and smiled faintly.   
  
Kagome looked at her in surprise, "but what Professor?"   
  
"Nevermind, I have faith." She answered in a serene and mysterious voice.   
  
Kagome smiled weakly.   
  
Professor Sinistra pushed aside a tapestry that covered the door to the hidden staircase, "Find the jewel, Kagome, I know you understand why." As she began to climb the stairs she called over her shoulder, "Perhaps, the appearance of the Demoness Wann was a blessing in disguise?"   
  
Kagome walked away puzzled, at the Professor's last words. A blessing in disguise? Surely, it was the demon was no blessing... But Kagome took off at a run, as she realized the full meaning of these words...   
  
................................................................................................................................................  
  
A/N: Finally! Chapter 7 is complete and surprisingly a lot shorter! lol, but no worries, plenty more to come, believe me :) I want to give a BIG **_Thank You!_** to all my reviewers, and I hope you are enjoying this story so far! I've been a bit busy, I'm trying my hand at a Harry Potter parody story, but I'm not sure if I'm going to post it, yet... it's rather silly... lol, I never realized how much work it is to write fanfic until now, and I only hope it's paying off...so until next time, and hopefully it will be soon, happy reading :)   
  
-:- Mikairi -:- 


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